Phrasal verb
go down to
Definition
phrasal verb. to travel to a place, especially one that is further south or in a smaller town.
phrasal verb. to travel to a specific destination, typically one perceived as being at a lower latitude, a lower altitude, or of lesser importance/size than the point of origin.
Examples
“We are going down to the beach for the day.”
“Every summer, they go down to Cornwall to visit their grandparents in the countryside.”
“The family decided to go down to the coastal cottage to escape the oppressive heat of the city during the peak of August.”
Examples
simple
“We are going down to the beach for the day.”
contextual
“Every summer, they go down to Cornwall to visit their grandparents in the countryside.”
complex
“The family decided to go down to the coastal cottage to escape the oppressive heat of the city during the peak of August.”
Usage
often used when the destination is south of the speaker's current location.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'go up to' (used for northern or larger city destinations); explain that 'down' often implies a move from a major city to a smaller town or the coast.
Pitfall
I go down to London from Scotland.
I go down to London from Manchester.
usually 'go down' implies moving south; from Scotland to London, one would typically 'go down', but from a southern point to a northern one, 'go up' is used.
Phrasal verb
Particles
down to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + down + to + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/go-down-to