ENGLISH
REFERENCE

go up to

phr. v..
A2 Elementary Oxford

phr. v.. to walk toward someone or something until you are very close to them.

phr. v.. to approach a person or object directly, often with the intention of initiating an interaction or inspection.


SIMPLE

I go up to the desk and ask for help.

CONTEXTUAL

If you see your teacher at the supermarket, will you go up to her and say hello?

COMPLEX

The witness watched the suspect go up to the parked vehicle and peer through the driver-side window before walking away.

Particles
up to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + up + to + object
Usage

usually implies a physical movement across a short distance toward a specific target.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'approach' to show that 'go up to' is the more common, informal choice for social interactions like starting a conversation.

Pitfall

I went up him.I went up to him.the preposition 'to' is essential to indicate the direction of the movement toward the person.

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