Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1After finishing second in her first race, Lena went on ............... two national titles before she was twenty.
Wrong!
Use "to win" because go on + to-infinitive introduces the next achievement or stage after a previous one.
2The figures are stable, but Marta keeps going on ............... them every few minutes.
Wrong!
Use "checking" because go on + -ing means continue the same action without stopping.
3We should have gone on ............... after the projector was fixed, but the chair ended the meeting instead.
Wrong!
Use "with the presentation" because go on with takes a noun phrase and means continue an interrupted activity.
4During lunch, my uncle went on ............... the parking problem for twenty minutes.
Wrong!
Use "about" because go on about something means talk too much or for too long on that topic.
5The supervisor goes on ............... the interns whenever a report is late.
Wrong!
Use "at" because go on at someone means keep criticizing or nagging that person.
6The negotiations went on ............... nearly three hours before anyone mentioned the budget.
Wrong!
Use "for" because go on for + a period of time describes how long something continues.
7After a decade as a journalist, Karim went on ............... a respected media-law lecturer.
Wrong!
Use "to become" because go on + to-infinitive shows a later result or new stage in someone's life.
8He will probably go on ............... until the chair formally closes the discussion.
Wrong!
Use "arguing" because go on + -ing means continue the same action despite a reason to stop.
9She has only worked here a week, but she goes on ............... the place, telling everyone where to sit.
Wrong!
Use "as if she owns" because go on as if + clause means behave as though something were true.
10When the microphone cut out, the candidate went on ............... without raising her voice.
Wrong!
Use "speaking" because go on + -ing means continue the same activity after an interruption.
11Even after we changed the subject twice, Grace went on ............... her holiday in Iceland.
Wrong!
Use "about" because go on about something means talk at length, often annoyingly, about that subject.
12Whatever the board decides, the finance team will go on ............... until the review is complete.
Wrong!
Use "with the audit" because go on with + noun phrase means continue an activity that is already in progress.
Answers
- After finishing second in her first race, Lena went on to win two national titles before she was twenty.
- The figures are stable, but Marta keeps going on checking them every few minutes.
- We should have gone on with the presentation after the projector was fixed, but the chair ended the meeting instead.
- During lunch, my uncle went on about the parking problem for twenty minutes.
- The supervisor goes on at the interns whenever a report is late.
- The negotiations went on for nearly three hours before anyone mentioned the budget.
- After a decade as a journalist, Karim went on to become a respected media-law lecturer.
- He will probably go on arguing until the chair formally closes the discussion.
- She has only worked here a week, but she goes on as if she owns the place, telling everyone where to sit.
- When the microphone cut out, the candidate went on speaking without raising her voice.
- Even after we changed the subject twice, Grace went on about her holiday in Iceland.
- Whatever the board decides, the finance team will go on with the audit until the review is complete.
