Commonly confused
Go on vs Go in
“Go on” and “Go in” look alike but pull in different directions. Here is what each one means, with examples — and the difference that learners most often miss.
The key difference
Go on means continue happening or doing something. Go in means enter a place.
go on
- 1
Continue happening or doing something
“Please go on with the story.”
- 2
Happen or take place
“What's going on here?”
- 3
Talk for a long time, often in a tedious way
“He goes on about his car.”
go in
- 1
Enter a place
“Let's go in, it's cold.”
- 2
(of the sun, moon or stars) become hidden behind clouds
“The sun went in.”
- 3
Be understood or accepted into the mind
“The lesson didn't really go in.”
Stop mixing them up
Sink In turns confusable pairs like this into quick contrast drills, so the right particle becomes automatic.