Phrasal verb
go about
Definition
phrasal verb. to begin or continue doing something in a particular way, especially your normal daily activities.
phrasal verb. to perform or manage a task, or to conduct oneself in a specific manner; often used to describe the execution of a routine or the approach to a problem.
Examples
“How should I go about finding a new job?”
“Despite the heavy rain, the villagers continued to go about their daily business as if nothing had happened.”
“The committee must carefully consider how to go about implementing these structural changes without disrupting the existing workflow.”
Examples
simple
“How should I go about finding a new job?”
contextual
“Despite the heavy rain, the villagers continued to go about their daily business as if nothing had happened.”
complex
“The committee must carefully consider how to go about implementing these structural changes without disrupting the existing workflow.”
Usage
often followed by 'one's business' or a gerund phrase starting with 'doing'.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'set about', which focuses more on the energetic start of a task, whereas 'go about' focuses on the method or the steady continuation of work.
Pitfall
He went about to fix the car.
He went about fixing the car.
when 'go about' means 'to do', it is followed by a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive.
Phrasal verb
Particles
about
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + about + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/go-about