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Phrasal Verbs with "Go" (part 1 of 2)
6 years agoDo you ever read an English sentence and think, “I know all the words in this sentence… but I still don’t understand what it means.”?
The likely culprit: phrasal verbs.
What are phrasal verbs? A phrasal verb is when a verb with a specific preposition means something totally different than the verb alone.
You already probably know some phrasal verbs, even if you don’t know that you know them - like ‘throw up’ (which involves no throwing), turn on (which involves no turning), and ‘give up’ (which involves no giving).
Phrasal verbs are hard. They may look and feel like something you should know, but every combination is its own special, rule-breaking, illogical beast.
How do you learn them, then?
Slowly. One by one. Practice makes perfect – well… practice makes better.
Today, let’s look at some common phrasal verbs with the verb ‘go’
PHRASAL VERBS WITH “GO” (part 1 of 2):
GO ABOUT
- When you ‘go about’ some task or activity, you keep doing it.
ex/ I can’t go about finishing my homework when the TV is so loud!
GO ABOVE AND BEYOND
- When you ‘go above and beyond’, you do much more than expected (in a good way).
ex/ I asked Bob to make dinner. He went above and beyond by cooking a
three-course meal served with dessert and wine.
GO AFTER
- When you ‘go after’ something, you try to achieve it, get it, or chase it.
ex/ When Evan was going after a promotion at work, he stayed late every night for
a month.
*CAUTION!!! ‘Go after’ can also be used literally.
For example, “Kendra goes first, and I go after her.”
GO AT IT
- When you ‘go at it’, you do something enthusiastically or with lots of energy.
ex/ I asked Trisha to bake cookies for the class, and she is really going at it! She has
already baked 100 cookies, and she doesn’t look like she will stop anytime soon!
GO BEFORE
- When you ‘go before’ a person or group, you stand in front of those people in
some official situation and present yourself.
ex/ Judge Brett Kavanaugh went before the US Senate this week to answer questions
about his past.
*CAUTION!!! ‘Go before’ can also be used literally.
For example, “Kendra goes before me, then I go later.”
GO AGAINST
- When you ‘go against’ someone or something, you disagree with it or
do the opposite of it.
ex/ Oliver went against his grandmother’s advice and moved to South Korea.
GO WITHOUT
- When you ‘go without’ something, you live or survive without it.
ex/ I can’t go without a cup of coffee for a whole day.
*CAUTION!!! ‘Go without’ can also be used literally.
For example, “I’m gonna be late. You guys should go without me.”
GO THROUGH
- When you ‘go through’ an event, you experience it.
ex/ Brittany went through her father’s death last year.
*CAUTION!!! ‘Go through’ can also be used literally.
For example, “If you go through the park, the café will be at the other end.”
... (to be continued)
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Today's Question: Which of these are new for you?
Challenge: Use one or more in a real situation this week and/or type an example sentence in the comments below!
