Go shopping or go for shopping?

We use GO -ing for a number of activities, esp., sports. ( NOT go for -ing)

  • Go shopping (NOT go for shopping)
  • We went shopping yesterday in Lulu mall (NOT went for shopping)
  • When did you last go shopping? (NOT go for shopping)
  • We are going shopping next week. ( NOT go for shopping )
  • Why don’t you go swimming with your friends? (NOT go for swimming)
  • Let’s go fishing this evening. (NOT go for fishing )
  • She’s gone jogging. (NOT gone for jogging )
  • We would like to go sailing during the vacation. ( NOT go for sailing )
  • Next week we will go sightseeing in Siliguri. (NOT go for sightseeing )
  • They are planning to go skiing tomorrow. (NOT go for skiing)
  • The children went sledging. (NOT went for sledging)
  • She wants to go trekking in the Himalayas. ( NOT go for trekking )
  • We are going house-hunting this evening. (NOT going for house-hunting)

2 thoughts on “Go shopping or go for shopping?

  1. What is the other meaning that one may extract from the sentence if the sentence is used ‘I go for shopping ‘.

    Is it wrong or does it give other meaning ?

    Usually , I go swimming means ‘ i go to have pleasure )

    I go for swimming means ‘ you go to give coaching for swimming ‘..

    Does the sentence of ” go for shopping and go shopping .” have similar meaning ?

    1. When “go” is followed by a verb, here “swim”, preposition(i.e., for) is to be avoided and “ing” is to be added with “swim”.
      Hence this usage is correct when viewed from the grammatical angle:
      – I am going swimming today.

      When “go” follows a noun, here “swim”, the preposition (i.e., for) is to be used.
      Thus the following are also correct:
      – I am going for a swim today.
      – I will go for a swim today.

      But this is usually used by a serious swimmer. They swim a specific distance or for a specific time and then go home.
      Those who just like splashing about in the water before lying on the beach or round the pool “go swimming”.

      However the usage “go swimming” is more common and acceptable according to the traditional views.

Leave a Reply