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GO Phrasal Verbs in English: Meanings and Examples

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A phrasal verb is a verb plus a small word (a particle) that together make a new meaning. The verb go is one of the first verbs we learn, and it forms many useful phrasal verbs, with the particle changing the meaning each time: go on, go off, go out, go through, and more.

This guide is for B1 to C1 learners who want to understand and use the most common go phrasal verbs in real conversation. By the end you will know what each one means, see an example of each, understand how the object works, and avoid the mistakes learners make most. Three exercises are on this page so you can practice straight away.

On this page

A quick video summary

What a phrasal verb is

A phrasal verb combines a verb with a particle (an adverb or a preposition) to form a single expression. The particle often changes the meaning of the verb completely, so you cannot work out the meaning by translating each word on its own.

The trick is to learn the whole phrase as one unit of meaning. Note that go is an irregular verb: go, went, gone.

The most useful GO phrasal verbs, with examples

Phrasal verb Meaning Example
go on to continue Please go on with your story.
go off to explode or ring; (of food) to go bad The alarm went off at six.
go out to leave home for a social activity; (of a light or fire) to stop burning We went out for dinner.
go over to review or check something Let’s go over the plan again.
go through to experience something, often something difficult She went through a hard time.
go up to increase or rise Prices went up again.
go down to decrease; to descend The temperature went down overnight.
go back to return to a place I need to go back home.
go away to leave; to disappear The pain finally went away.
go for to try to achieve or apply for something Go for the job you really want.
go by to pass (of time) The years went by quickly.
go without to manage without something They went without food for days.
go along with to agree with or accept something I’ll go along with your decision.
go out with to date someone He’s going out with Maria.
go into to enter; to explain something in detail I won’t go into the details now.

Phrasal verbs are easy to read and hard to use. The only way they become natural is to use them in conversation. Book a free trial lesson and practice go phrasal verbs with an experienced native teacher, no credit card needed.

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The many meanings of “go off”

Some phrasal verbs have several meanings, so the context tells you which one is meant. “Go off” is a good example.

Meaning Example
to explode The bomb went off in an empty street.
to ring or make a loud noise My alarm goes off at seven.
to stop working (a light, machine or heating) The heating goes off at night.
(of food) to go bad The milk has gone off.
to stop liking something I’ve gone off coffee lately.

Where the object goes

Most go phrasal verbs are inseparable, and many have no object at all because go is intransitive. When there is an object, it stays after the whole phrase.

  • Inseparable: go over, go through, go for, go into. The object follows the phrase: “go over it,” “go for it” (not “go it over”).
  • Three-word verbs: go along with, go out with, go down with. The object stays after the whole phrase: “I go along with it,” not “I go it along with.”

Common mistakes with GO phrasal verbs

  1. Translating word by word. “Go off” is not “go” plus “off.” Learn the whole phrase as one meaning.
  2. Trying to separate the verb. Go phrasal verbs are inseparable: say “go over it,” not “go it over.”
  3. Confusing the meanings of go off. It can mean explode, ring, stop working, or (of food) go bad. Context decides.
  4. Using the wrong form of go. Go is irregular: go, went, gone. “He goed out” is wrong; use “went out.”

Practice exercises on GO phrasal verbs

Exercise 1. Complete each sentence with the correct phrasal verb of go.

Exercise 2. Select the phrasal verb of go that fits best in each sentence.

Exercise 3. Choose the correct phrasal verb of go to use in the following sentences.

Quick self-check

Choose the right go phrasal verb, then reveal the answers.

1. The milk smells strange; it has ____. (gone bad)
2. Let’s ____ the report before the meeting. (review)
3. Prices keep ____ this year. (rising)

Show answers

1. gone off.   2. go over.   3. going up.

How did that feel? Recognising a phrasal verb in an exercise is one thing. Reaching for the right one while you speak is the goal. In a free trial lesson, an experienced native teacher will have you using go phrasal verbs in real sentences within minutes.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a phrasal verb?
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a particle (an adverb or preposition) that together form a new meaning, such as go on or go off. The particle often changes the meaning of the verb completely, so you learn the whole phrase as one unit rather than translating each word.
What does “go off” mean?
Go off has several meanings: to explode (“the bomb went off”), to ring or make a loud noise (“my alarm goes off at seven”), to stop working (“the heating goes off at night”), and, of food, to go bad (“the milk has gone off”). It can also mean to stop liking something (“I have gone off coffee”). The context decides.
What is the difference between go out and go out with?
Go out means to leave home for a social activity (“we went out for dinner”) or, of a light or fire, to stop burning. Go out with someone means to date them (“he is going out with Maria”).
Are go phrasal verbs separable?
Most are inseparable, and many have no object because go is intransitive. When there is an object, it stays after the whole phrase (“go over it,” “go along with it”), never in the middle.
Is “go” a regular verb?
No, go is irregular. Its past simple is “went” and its past participle is “gone”: go, went, gone. So you say “he went out,” not “he goed out.”

Key takeaways

  • A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle with a new, combined meaning.
  • Learn the whole phrase, do not translate go and the particle separately.
  • The most common ones: go on, go off, go out, go over, go through, go up, go down.
  • Go off has several meanings, so context decides.
  • Go is irregular (go, went, gone) and its phrasal verbs are inseparable; the object stays after the phrase.

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Written and reviewed by the experienced native English teachers at Live English, online since 2007.