Go about one's business meaning in English
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Definition
to go about one's business: to carry on as normal; to continue like usual; to do one's regular things
Just go about your business and pretend like I'm not here, I'll be taking notes but just ignore me and do what you normally would do.
Examples
- "Now, I don't want you to be nervous while I'm here, so please feel free to go about your business as usual."
Exercise 1
Fiona tells Horatio to "go about (his) business as usual".
What does she mean by this?
What does she mean by this?
Fiona tells Horatio to "go about (his) business as usual".
What does she mean by this?
What does she mean by this?
"Go about your business as usual" is an idiomatic expression that means "do what you usually do on a normal day". Here's another example: "I was just going about my business when the policeman arrested me! I don't know what I did wrong!".
"Your business" does not refer to "your company" here. To "go about one's business" is an expression which refers to the daily work that someone does: the regular work that is habitual and ordinary.
To "go about one's business" is not a request to find something to do, but a request simply to act normally and to continue to do the regular work which is habitual and ordinary.
To "go about one's business" does not refer to the action of "leaving", "exiting", or "stepping out" of a location. To "go about one's business" is an expression which refers to the daily work that someone does: the regular work that is habitual and ordinary.
Exercise 2
Journalist: Ivana, how did the idea for your autobiography ?
Ivana Bümbüm: Well, I was lying in bed thinking myself, and I thought: writing a book just myself? It’s my favorite subject.
Journalist: I think I am win the Pulitzer Prize for this story.
Ivana Bümbüm: Well, I was lying in bed thinking myself, and I thought: writing a book just myself? It’s my favorite subject.
Journalist: I think I am win the Pulitzer Prize for this story.
Journalist: Ivana, how did the idea for your autobiography come about 1?
Ivana Bümbüm: Well, I was lying in bed thinking about 2 myself, and I thought: what about 3 writing a book just about 4 myself? It’s my favorite subject.
Journalist: I think I am about to 5 win the Pulitzer Prize for this story.
Ivana Bümbüm: Well, I was lying in bed thinking about 2 myself, and I thought: what about 3 writing a book just about 4 myself? It’s my favorite subject.
Journalist: I think I am about to 5 win the Pulitzer Prize for this story.
1 come about: 'How did the idea come about?' means 'How did the idea start existing?' or 'What caused the idea?'. 'To come about' is a phrasal verb meaning 'to happen'. Another example: 'Her promotion came about after that successful project'.
1 bring about: 'To bring about' means to cause or trigger something. It cannot be used without an object. For example: 'It's time to bring about some changes'.
1 go about: An idea cannot 'go about'; this doesn't mean anything in English. 'Go about' is mostly used as part of the phrase 'to go about one's business', meaning 'to carry on as normal' or 'to do one's regular things'. For example: 'Pay no attention to me, I'm just the inspector. Please go about your business.'
2 about: Ivana was lying in bed thinking about herself: her self was the subject of her thoughts or imaginings. 'About' in this context means 'concerning' or 'relating to'. Another example: 'I spend a lot of time thinking about the zombie apocalypse'.
2 in: A person cannot 'think in herself' in English; this doesn't mean anything!
2 around: A person cannot 'think around herself' in English; this doesn't mean anything!
3 what about: We use 'what about' followed by the '-ing' form of the verb to make a suggestion or introduce an idea. For example: 'What about selling coffee instead of perfumes?'.
3 should I: We cannot use 'should I' immediately before a verb ending in '-ing' ('writing'). Ivana might have said: 'Should I write a book?'.
3 why not: We cannot use 'why not' immediately before a verb ending in '-ing' ('writing'). Ivana might have said: 'Why not write a book?'.
4 about: Ivana considered writing a book 'just about herself', meaning that she would be the exclusive subject of the book. If a book is 'about' something, then it concerns or relates to it. Another example: 'Last night I watched a movie about alternatives to capitalism'.
4 to: A book cannot be 'to' something, though it could be 'dedicated to' or 'given to' someone. For example: 'I dedicate this novel to my late wife, Nina'.
4 over: A book cannot be 'over' something; this doesn't mean anything in English!
5 about to: The journalist thinks she is 'about to win the Pulitzer Prize': this means that she thinks she will win a prize for journalism very soon. Another example: 'I think I'm about to faint from exhaustion'.
5 about: This sentence doesn't make sense without the word 'to'.
5 going: This sentence doesn't make sense without the word 'to'. The journalist could say: 'I think I am going to win the Pulitzer Prize'.
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