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opposite to "patience of a saint"
fail to exploit, or suppress the scope for
Nov 16, 2003 09:16
20 yrs ago
5 viewers *
English term

is "let's go eating" acceptable?

Non-PRO English Other
suggestions. Is the ING form acceptable in this case? That's after "let's go"?: let's go eating
Responses
5 +3 comment
5 +7 Let's go eat.
4 +5 Not acceptable
4 +2 No - not in this case
4 +2 Let's go eat

Responses

+3
1 hr
Selected

comment

Let's go + INF : NA only
Let's go AND INF : British

On the specific question of teh -ing form here, then with verbs like swimming, walking, fishing, sailing etc., then the -ing form is perfectly acceptable. The action which is being suggested will last over a period of time.

Pure poetic licence would allow for "let's go eating" but the implication is that some serious eating is going to happen!!!
Peer comment(s):
agree sergey (X) : well, yeah
1 hr
agree vixen
3 hrs
agree GaryG : Comment fm a UK prof of linguistics: I reckon leisure activities are the ones that tend to take -ing. And, as noted, the bare infinitive after 'go' is rare in BritEng (and is perceived as an Americanism if heard, as is 'write someone' w/o the 'to').
5 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Many thanks for your answer. I wonder now if what we could say is that the ing form is ok for sport : bowling/ cycling / fishing / sightseeing (is that a sport?)/ walking / rockclimbing... But neither sleeping nor eating would be acceptable. Is that it?"
+7
0 min

Let's go eat.

That is the conventional way to say it.

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Note added at 2003-11-16 09:20:22 (GMT)
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Let\'s go bowling.
Let\'s go shopping
Let\'s go eat.
Let\'s go to the movies.
Let\'s go to church.
Let\'s go for a walk.


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Note added at 2003-11-16 09:23:01 (GMT)
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There is no rational explanation for the different constructions, or why one constuction is heard on one side of the Atlantic but not on the other.
Peer comment(s):
neutral IanW (X) : This is strictly North American English - you would never say that in the UK or Ireland. (I'm not disagreeing with you here, Fuad, just pointing out the usage)
2 mins
Point well taken. It is a pleasure to learn all the delightful varieties.
agree Kim Metzger : And I thank Ian too for pointing out the difference between BE and AE. Let's go eat is common usage in the US.
12 mins
agree achisholm : definitely a US usage, but otherwise fine in that context
13 mins
agree J. Leo (X) : also: Let's go 'n (and) eat.
23 mins
agree David Knowles : Let's go+verb is not BE. Let's go and+verb is (informal) BE. e.g. Let's go and eat/see
1 hr
agree DGK T-I : agree US (& comments re.Ireland & UK) ~
1 hr
agree melayujati
1 hr
agree Rajan Chopra
7 hrs
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+2
1 min
English term (edited): is

No - not in this case

Here you would say "let's go and get something to eat" or "let's go for something to eat".

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Note added at 2 mins (2003-11-16 09:18:52 GMT)
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Having said that, there would be nothing wrong with \"let\'s go ski-ing\". Perhaps there\'s an English teacher here who can explain why this is so, but I can\'t.
Peer comment(s):
agree DGK T-I : interesting point about the skiing (+2 more UK/Irish options)
1 hr
agree methrinia
2 hrs
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+2
2 mins
English term (edited): let's go eating

Let's go eat

Or let's go out to eat if the meaning is to go to a restaurant. Let's go is not followed by the gerund but the infinitive without 'to.'
Peer comment(s):
agree DGK T-I : 'let's go eat'US 'let's go out to eat'US&UK ~
1 hr
agree Catherine Norton
11 hrs
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+5
17 mins
English term (edited): is

Not acceptable

in BE usage, as already pointed out; my own expression here would be "let's go AND eat". It should also be pointed out that most of the terms quoted are as a rule informal terms - i.e. terms often used in speaking, less commonly in writing.
Peer comment(s):
agree jerrie : Let's go and eat - for me too!
5 mins
agree Kim Metzger : "Let's go eating" is not acceptable in any variety of English.
10 mins
agree DGK T-I : agree UK (very true about informality + asker's phrase being not acceptable anywhere)
57 mins
agree sergey (X) : exactly, that's what the asker wished to find out
2 hrs
agree vixen
4 hrs
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