# go before

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to be presented to a person or group in authority so they can make a decision about it.

For teachers: to be submitted to a formal body, court, or authority for consideration or judgment; often used in legal or administrative contexts.

## Examples

- The case goes before the judge tomorrow.
- The new planning proposal must go before the local council before construction can begin.
- The controversial legislation is scheduled to go before the committee next week for a final round of amendments.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The plan goes before to the board." but "The plan goes before the board." — 'before' acts as the particle/preposition here, so adding 'to' is redundant and grammatically incorrect.

## Usage notes

- usually used with formal bodies like committees, boards, or courts as the object.
- Teaching tip: contrast with the temporal meaning 'to happen earlier in time'; in this sense, it functions as a formal transitive phrasal verb for administrative processes.

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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.