# go on to do sth

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/go-on-to-do-sth
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to do something else after you have finished a previous task or stage.

For teachers: to proceed to a subsequent action or stage after the completion of a prior one; often used to describe a progression in a career or narrative.

## Examples

- After university, she went on to become a doctor.
- The director thanked the cast and then went on to announce the winner of the award.
- Although the initial experiment failed, the team went on to discover a revolutionary new material that changed the industry forever.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He went on to talking about his trip." but "He went on to talk about his trip." — this specific meaning of 'moving to a new task' requires the infinitive 'to talk', not the gerund 'talking'.

## Usage notes

- followed by an infinitive ('to do'); do not confuse with 'go on doing', which means to continue the same action.
- Teaching tip: this is a crucial 'verb pattern' distinction: 'go on to do' (next step) vs 'go on doing' (continue current step); use a timeline on the board to show the sequence of events.

---

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.