English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate » Unit 93: Expressions with come and go

Word List
  • come across
  • come between
  • come by
  • come down
  • come into
  • come off
  • come out
  • come round
  • come to
  • come up
  • conclusion
  • decision
  • end
  • existence
  • fashion
  • fortune
  • go bankrupt
  • go for
  • go on
  • go through
  • have a go
  • operation
  • sight
  • standstill
  • stop
  • view
  • agreement
Exercises

93.1 ‣ Which meanings do these underlined verbs have?

  1. He went on composing music till his eighties.
  2. She was so suspicious that she used to go through his pockets every night. _____
  3. The dog went for the postman. _____
  4. We had planned a meeting but it never came off. _____
  5. I came across a photo of my grandmother the other day. I look just like her. _____
  6. I wish you'd stop going on at me! _____
  7. I was sure he'd go for a holiday in Greece rather than stay at home. _____
  8. Does this top go with these trousers? _____
  9. Nobody has come up with a solution to the problem so far. _____

93.2 ‣ Choose one of the expressions in B to complete each of the sentences.

  1. I found it really hard to make up my mind but in the end I came .
  2. When his grandmother dies, he'll come _____.
  3. After four years of fighting, the civil war finally came _____.
  4. Halfway up the steep hill, the bus came _____.
  5. They say that long skirts are coming _____ again.
  6. The telephone first came _____ over 100 years ago.
  7. I found it very difficult to come _____ my failure.
  8. As we drove round the corner the house came _____.

93.3 ‣ Replace the underlined expressions with one of the expressions in D.

  1. I don't need to say that we wish you all the best in the future.
  2. They took a lot of trouble to avoid meeting each other. _____
  3. I've been extremely busy all day and I'm longing for a shower now and to relax. _____
  4. I do hope he will be successful in his new business. _____
  5. Everyone says that they were together that night. _____
  6. The film is good up to a point but it doesn't tackle the problem deeply enough. _____

93.4 ‣ Match questions on the left with the responses on the right.

  1. Why don't you and Ollie go on?
  2. How did he come by so much money? _____
  3. Did the plan go through? _____
  4. What's the worst pain you've ever gone through? _____
  5. Why did that factory close down? _____
  6. When should I come round to your place? _____
  7. What's going on over there? _____
  1. a) Any time after eight.
  2. b) The furn went bankrupt.
  3. c) We'll catch you up.
  4. d) A rich aunt of his died.
  5. e) No, people voted against it.
  6. f) It looks like a demonstration.
  7. g) When I broke my wrist.

93.5 ‣ Match questions on the left with the responses on the right.

Over to you

Complete the sentences in a way that is true for you.

  1. I hope I make a go of … .
  2. My exam results will come out … .
  3. My … shoes go with my … .
  4. I never want to go through … again.
  5. As my English course goes on, … .
  6. It’s not easy to come to terms with … .
  7. I’ve come to the conclusion that learning English … .
  8. I came across a new English word recently. It was … .
Answer Key
A ‣ Phrasal verbs based on come

Did the meeting you were planning ever come off? [take place]

When do the exam results come out? [be published, made public]

I must tell you about an important point which came up at the meeting. [was raised]

Please come round and see me sometime. [pay an informal visit]

Nothing can come between him and football. [separate, be a barrier between]

I came across a lovely old vase in that junk shop. [found by chance]

How did you come by that bruise / that car? [receive, obtain]

Computer prices have come down recently. [decreased]

Sofia came up with a really good idea to raise money for charity. [thought of / suggested a plan or solution to a problem]

B ‣ Collocations with come to and come into

Come to often refers to the idea of 'arriving at'. Come into often refers to the idea of starting or acquiring.

come to + collocationsexamples
an agreement
a conclusion
a standstill [stop]
an end		a decision
terms with [acknowledge and accept psychologically]		The two sides have at last come to an agreement.
Traffic came to a standstill because of the snow.
The war finally came to an end in 2005.
come into + collocationsexamples
contact (with)
a fortune [receive when someone dies]
operation [start working]
sight/view		existence
fashion		He came into a fortune when his uncle died.
The new motorway will come into operation next March.
After two hours at sea, the island came into sight/view.

C ‣ Phrasal verbs based on go

Some of these have a number of different meanings.

go on:
What is going on next door? [happening]
They went on working despite the noise. [continued]
As the weeks went on, things improved. [passed]
You go on, we'll catch you up later. [go in advance]
He's always going on at me about my untidy hair. [criticising, complaining]

go through:
I wouldn't like to go through that again. [experience, endure]
Let's go through the plans once more. [check]
Unfortunately, the business deal we were hoping for did not go through in the end. [was not completed or approved]

go for:
He really went for her when she dared to criticise him. [attack]
Which course have you decided to go for? [choose]

go with:
Those shoes don't go with that dress. [suit, match]

D ‣ Other expressions based on go

I hope they'll make a go of the business but they are taking a big risk. [make a success of]

He's been on the go all day and he's exhausted. [very busy, on the move]

It goes without saying that we'll support you. [clear without being said]

Your work is good, as far as it goes. [but is limited or insufficient]

The story goes that they were once very close friends. [It is said that ... / It seems that ... ]

They went to great lengths to keep it a secret. [ took a lot of trouble]

The business has gone bankrupt. [not got enough money to pay debts]

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