go on — talk at length (often annoyingly)
phrasal verbC1IELTS 7+informaloccasional
To talk for a long time, especially in a way that is repetitive, boring, or annoying to others.
Say it like a native
Textbook He spoke at considerable length about his holiday.
Native He went on and on about his holiday.
'Go on (and on) about' carries the bored, 'too much' attitude. The neutral formal version misses the point.
Pattern: go on (about something)
In use
- He tends to go on about his achievements, which can be exhausting to listen to.conversation
- Some people tend to go on about their personal experiences in group discussions, which can make it difficult for others to contribute.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Stop going on for it.
✓ Stop going on about it.
'Go on ABOUT something' = talk too much about it, often with 'and on' for emphasis.
Common collocations
go on about— about it, and on, about his car, for ages
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 senses ('continue' or 'happen'), this sense is figurative and refers specifically to talking for too long, often in a way that annoys listeners.
Related
- go on (continue) — 'go on' also has the more basic meaning 'continue'; this is the advanced sense.