# go along

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to make progress or develop while you are doing an activity.

For teachers: to proceed or progress with an activity; often used to describe learning or making decisions as a situation unfolds rather than planning in advance.

## Examples

- I don't have a plan, I'll just learn as I go along.
- The project was quite new to us, so we had to make up the rules as we went along.
- The composer didn't write the score beforehand but preferred to improvise and refine the melody as he went along during the performance.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I am going along with the project well." but "The project is going along well." — when 'go along' means to progress, the activity or project is usually the subject, not the person, unless using 'as I go along'.

## Usage notes

- frequently used with 'as' to describe simultaneous progress and learning.
- Teaching tip: focus on the 'as you go along' construction, which is a very common way to describe learning by doing or 'on-the-job' adjustment.

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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.