English Reference
Phrasal verb

go on

phrasal verb.
A2 Elementary Oxford

phrasal verb.to continue doing something or to happen.

phrasal verb.to continue an action or state; to occur or take place. Often used as a continuative aspectual marker or to describe events in progress.


SIMPLE

Please go on with your story.

CONTEXTUAL

The meeting went on for three hours because there were so many problems to discuss.

COMPLEX

While the investigation into the financial discrepancy was going on, the CEO refused to make any public statements regarding the company's future.

Usage

often followed by 'with' plus a noun or by a gerund (verb + -ing).

Teaching tip

contrast with 'keep on' (which emphasizes repetition) and 'continue' (which is more formal); use 'What's going on?' to teach the 'happen' sense.

Pitfall
He went on talk for hours.He went on talking for hours.

when 'go on' means to continue an activity, it must be followed by a gerund or 'with + noun'.

Particles
on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + on

Etymology 1

Structurally equivalent to go onward.

Etymology 2

Structurally equivalent to go upon.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Updated