Welcome! Today we'll explore the phrasal verb 'go for', which has several important meanings in English. First, it can mean to choose or select something, like saying 'I'll go for the pasta tonight.' Second, it means to try to achieve something, as in 'He's going for the gold medal.'
Let's explore three more meanings of 'go for'. Third, it can mean to attack someone or something, like 'The dog went for the intruder.' Fourth, it means to be attracted to or like someone or something, as in 'She goes for guys with humor.' Fifth, it can mean to apply to or be true for someone, like 'This rule goes for everyone.'
The final meaning of 'go for' relates to price - it means to be sold for a particular amount, especially at auctions. For example, 'The antique chair went for five hundred dollars at the auction.' This phrasal verb appears in many contexts: auctions and sales, sports competitions, daily choices, and expressing preferences in relationships.
Let's practice with real conversations. When someone asks What will you have for dinner and you respond I think I'll go for pizza, you're using go for to mean choose or select. In another example, if someone says He's training very hard and you reply Yes, he's going for the championship, you're using go for to mean trying to achieve a goal.
To summarize what we've learned about 'go for': it's a versatile phrasal verb with six main meanings. It can mean to choose or select something, to try achieving a goal, to attack someone, to be attracted to someone, to apply to everyone, or to be sold for a specific price. Understanding these different meanings will help you use this common English expression correctly in various situations.