ENGLISH
REFERENCE

go about

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford General-service

phr. v.. to begin or continue doing something in a particular way, especially your normal daily activities.

phr. v.. 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.


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.

Particles
about
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + about + object
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.

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