1.
to continue doing something
“Go on, I'm listening.”
“She went on talking for an hour.”
“Let's go on with the lesson.”
Synonyms: to continue, to carry on, to keep going
Phrasal verb
What does go on mean?
Meaning: to continue; to happen
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Go on = to continue (doing something). It also means to happen. Go on! = continue! What's going on? = what is happening?
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to happen
“What's going on?”
“What's going on here?”
Synonyms: to happen, to occur
3.
to encourage someone, or to finally agree
idiomatic“Go on, try it!”
“Oh, go on then.”
Word order
Intransitive (no object)
This phrasal verb does not take an object.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- go on
- Past Simple:
- went on
- Past participle:
- gone on
- -ing form:
- going on
Common mistakes to avoid
Go on + -ing (to continue)
To say that someone continues an action, use go on + -ing: She went on talking ✓. She went on to talk means something different: she did something else first, then she started to talk.
Go on to + verb (to do something next)
With to + verb, the meaning changes: you move to the next step. He went on to become a doctor = later, he became a doctor. It does not mean that he continued becoming a doctor.
Irregular verb: went / gone
Go is irregular: go → went → gone. Past Simple: It went on for hours. Past participle (after have): It has gone on for hours. Never It goed on ❌.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: go on
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Go on: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
Understanding a rule is only the first step. On PLAY, you use it in real situations, at your own pace, until it becomes automatic.
Practise “go on” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersGo on: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
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English contestGo on: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does go on mean?+
Go on has three main uses: (1) to continue doing something; (2) to happen (What's going on?); (3) a way to encourage someone (Go on, try!). It is a very useful phrasal verb.
Is it go on doing or go on to do?+
Both exist, with different meanings. Go on + -ing = to continue the same action: He went on talking = he did not stop talking. Go on to + verb = to do something new next: He went on to become rich = later, he became rich. This difference is important.
Is go on separable?+
No. Go on has no object, so nothing goes between go and on. You can add about: go on about something = to talk about it for too long. She went on about her trip = she talked about her trip for hours.
What is the difference between go on and carry on?+
Both mean to continue. Go on is very common everywhere. Carry on is very British, as in the famous slogan Keep calm and carry on. Both are correct in an exam.
What does “it went on for hours” mean?+
It means that it lasted for hours. This is meaning 1 (to continue), used for time. The meeting went on forever = the meeting seemed to never end.
Related phrasal verbs
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/go-on
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.