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I was taking an English test and I haven't know which sentence is wrong. could you help me out?

a) The telephone is ringing. I will go to answer it.
b) I feel like going dancing tonight. Would you like to join me?

I don't know if in letter "a" I should say: ...I will go answer it, rather than I will go to answer it; or

In letter "b": I feel like going to dance, rather than I feel like going dancing tonight.

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2 Answers 2

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A) The telephone is ringing. I'll go and answer it.

"And" is often omitted by native speakers, so your impression was right there.

B) I feel like going dancing tonight.

Sounds nice and natural to me, since we refer to this activity as "dancing". I can see how you might be worried about having two "-ing" verbs adjacent, but it's honestly a perfect construction. Your version: "I feel like going to dance", is also perfectly valid, but I just feel that "going dancing" sounds more natural.

EDIT: (See @Tristan's comment)

The British are unlikely to omit "and", as in "and answer the phone". The Americans are more likely to omit it.

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    It would be helpful if you mention which native speakers often omit the word and. Americans often do that but, British usually don't.
    – Tristan
    Commented Jan 31, 2014 at 15:11
  • In fact, to my American ears, using the and makes me put the "go and" together in the same way that kids often use "go and" as extra filler: "Why don't you go and shutup." "So he goes and tips over the basket" "So he goes and tells the teacher I did it." "Why don't you go and shove it up your..." Ok, maybe I should stop.
    – Jim
    Commented Feb 1, 2014 at 4:36
  • Jim, that's just one of the differences between English use in the UK and the USA, where it is common for people to omit the word and. From my, English and British perspective, it is very strange to hear a word randomly omitted where it would be expected and normally included, in this part of the world.
    – Tristan
    Commented Feb 3, 2014 at 13:14
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From a British English perspective.

Sentence a) is incorrect. Sentence b) is perfectly grammatical.
In response to a declarative sentence that the telephone is ringing I would reply:

I'll answer it.

To actually say, "I will go and answer it" is overly formal. The subject and the auxiliary is nearly always contracted in speech. Furthermore, to point out you will go and do an action is unnecessary but this type of construction is common in speech.

A: We don't have any more milk.
B: I will go out and purchase some milk ---> I'll (go and) get some.

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  • You mentioned one of them being overly formal but, your example I will go out and purchase some milk, is also formal. It would be more natural and common to say I will go out and buy some milk.
    – Tristan
    Commented Feb 3, 2014 at 12:50
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    @Tristan That was my point, I'd transformed this formal sentence to the more informal and relaxed way: I'll get some.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Feb 3, 2014 at 19:42
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    Using get is another, natural and common way to say it.
    – Tristan
    Commented Feb 3, 2014 at 21:30

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