# go about

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/go-about
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

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

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He went about to fix the car." but "He went about fixing the car." — when 'go about' means 'to do', it is followed by a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.