go by — be guided by
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
to use something, such as information or rules, to make a decision or form an opinion.
Say it like a native
Textbook We must base our decision on the available evidence.
Native We can only go by what the evidence shows.
'Go by' is the natural verb for using something as your guide. 'Base our decision on' is heavier.
Pattern: go by + noun/pronoun
In use
- I usually go by the instructions when assembling furniture.study
- When making important decisions, I prefer to go by facts rather than opinions.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Don't go with first impressions.
✓ Don't go by first impressions.
'Go BY' = judge/decide from. 'Go with' = choose. Different verbs.
Common collocations
go by + guide— the rules, appearances, what he said, the manual
Don't confuse it
Different from 'go with', which means to choose or select something.
Related
- go by (time passes) — Another meaning of 'go by' is 'time passes'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.