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go/come …ing

go …ing​

We use go with an -ing form to talk about activities in which people move about, and which do not have a fixed beginning or end. The structure is common in expressions referring to sport and leisure activities – for example go climbing, go dancing, go fishing, go hunting, go riding, go sailing, go shooting, go skating, go skiing, go swimming, go walking.

  • Let’s go climbing next weekend.
  • Did you go dancing last Saturday?

Go …ing is also used to talk about looking for or collecting things.

  • I think I’ll go shopping tomorrow.
  • In June all the students go looking for jobs.
  • Anne’s going fruit-picking this weekend.

We do not use go …ing to talk about activities that have a more definite beginning and end (not go boxing, go watching a football match).

come …ing​

Come …ing is also possible in certain situations (for the difference between come and go, (see here).

  • Come swimming with us tomorrow.

Prepositions​

Note that prepositions of place, not direction, are used after go/come …ing.

  • I went swimming in the river. (not I went swimming to the river.)
  • She went shopping at Harrods. (not … to Harrods.)