How to use the verb 'go' in English
Master the common patterns for the verb 'go' to talk about travel, activities, and daily routines.
- check_circleI can talk about traveling to a place.
- check_circleI can describe activities I do with 'go'.
- check_circleI can avoid common mistakes with the word 'home'.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Sarah: Hey Mark! Are you ready for the weekend?
Mark: Yes! I’m going to go to the mountains with my family. We want to go hiking on Saturday to enjoy the scenery.
Sarah: That sounds great! I don’t really go to the mountains. I usually just stay in the city.
Mark: You should come with us sometime! What are you doing this weekend?
Sarah: Well, on Saturday morning I will go for a run in the park. Then, I need to go shopping because my fridge is empty.
Mark: Are you going to go out on Saturday night?
Sarah: No, I’ll be too exhausted. I will probably just go home early and rest.
Mark: That sounds like a good plan too.
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
The verb go is one of the most common verbs in English, but it has specific patterns depending on what follows it. Let’s look at the four most important ways to use it.
1. Go to + a place
We use go to when we are traveling towards a specific destination.
- I go to work every morning.
- She went to Paris last year.
Common mistake: Do not forget “to” before the place.
I go London. → I go to London.
2. Go + home / there / here
There are a few special location words that do not use “to”. The most common one is home.
- I am tired, I want to go home.
- Let’s go there this weekend.
Common mistake: Never use “to” with “home”.
I am going to home. → I am going home.
3. Go + -ing (activities)
We use go + verb-ing for recreational activities, usually sports or hobbies that involve moving around.
- We always go shopping at the new mall.
- He wants to go swimming this afternoon.
Think of “go + -ing” as describing the whole activity, not just the action of traveling to a place!
4. Go for a + noun (activities)
We use go for a with some specific nouns, usually describing a brief activity. The most common are walk, run, drive, and swim.
- Let’s go for a walk in the park.
- They usually go for a run because they are training for a marathon.
- go to + [place]: go to school, go to the store
- go + home/there: go home (no “to”!)
- go + [verb-ing]: go dancing, go shopping
- go for a + [noun]: go for a walk, go for a run
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
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Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?