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go on — continue

phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcore

To keep doing something or to keep happening without stopping.

Say it like a native

Textbook Please continue with what you were saying.

Native Go on.

To tell someone to keep talking, natives just say 'go on'. The formal version is unnecessary.

Pattern: go on + -ing / go on with + noun

In use

  • She went on talking even though everyone was tired.daily life
  • If I get stuck on a difficult question, I usually go on and try to answer the rest first.IELTS speaking

Common mistake

✗ He went on to talking for an hour.

✓ He went on talking for an hour.

'Go on + -ing' = keep doing. 'Go on TO + verb' = do next (different meaning). Don't mix them.

Common collocations

  • go on + -ing — talking, working, forever, as before

Don't confuse it

Do not confuse with 'go on to do', which means to do something next, not to continue the same thing.

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