ENGLISH
REFERENCE

go to bed

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. To get into your bed to rest or sleep, usually for the night.

fixed phr.. A fixed verb phrase indicating the action of moving to one's bed with the intention of sleeping; it refers to the process, not the state of being asleep.


SIMPLE

I usually go to bed around 11 PM.

CONTEXTUAL

He felt sick, so he decided to go to bed early instead of watching the film.

COMPLEX

Exhausted by the day's relentless demands, she wanted nothing more than to go to bed and let sleep erase the world for a while.

Origin

Already attested in Old English as tō bedde gān.

Usage

This phrase is fixed; 'bed' is used without an article like 'a' or 'the'.

Teaching tip

Contrast with 'go to sleep', which is the moment you become unconscious, while 'go to bed' is the action of getting into bed.

Pitfall

I go to the bed.I go to bed.The phrase is fixed and does not use an article like 'the' or 'a' before 'bed'.

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