# go on about

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to talk about something for a long time in a way that is boring or annoying for other people.

For teachers: to speak at length and repetitively about a specific topic, typically to the annoyance of the listener; functions as an intransitive or transitive verb with 'about'.

## Examples

- He always goes on about his expensive new car.
- I wish she would stop going on about her ex-boyfriend every time we meet for coffee.
- The lecturer went on about the importance of primary sources for nearly an hour, leaving little time for the actual seminar discussion.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He goes on about that he is rich." but "He goes on about being rich." — the preposition 'about' must be followed by a noun or a gerund, not a 'that' clause.

## Usage notes

- usually used in a negative way to describe someone who talks too much about one topic.
- Teaching tip: this is a great phrase for teaching the 'annoyance' function of the present continuous, as in 'He's always going on about...'

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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.