What Does “Go towards sth” Mean?
“Go towards sth” means to be used as part of the payment or support for something. It often refers to money or resources contributing to a specific purpose.
Introduction
The phrase “go towards sth” is a common phrasal verb in English. It describes how money, effort, or resources are directed to help pay for or support something. For example, if you say “The money will go towards buying a new car,” it means the money is being used to help pay for the car. Understanding the “go towards sth” meaning is important because it helps you express contributions or partial payments clearly. This phrase is often used in everyday conversations, business, and formal contexts, making it a useful part of your vocabulary.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: go towards something
- Type: transitive
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to be used as part of payment or support for something
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Go towards sth” is a fixed phrase and is inseparable. You cannot place the object between “go” and “towards.” The pattern is:
- Subject + go/goes + towards + noun (something)
- Example: The donation goes towards the charity.
Note that “go” changes according to the subject (go/goes/went).
How to Use “Go towards sth”?
Use “go towards sth” when you want to say that money, time, or effort is being allocated or applied to a particular purpose. It often appears in financial contexts, fundraising, budgeting, or when explaining how resources are divided. You can also use it to talk about non-monetary contributions, like effort or time, directed at a goal.
Examples
Here are some natural examples of “go towards sth in a sentence” to help you understand its use:
- The money from ticket sales will go towards funding the school trip.
- Part of my salary goes towards paying the mortgage every month.
- Donations go towards helping families in need.
- Time spent practicing goes towards improving your skills.
- Some of the funds raised will go towards building a new playground.
Common Mistakes
People sometimes confuse “go towards sth” with “go to sth” or use the phrase incorrectly by separating the verb and preposition. Here are some examples:
- Incorrect: The money will go the charity towards.
- Correct: The money will go towards the charity.
- Incorrect: Part of the payment goes to towards the rent.
- Correct: Part of the payment goes towards the rent.
Remember, “go towards” is inseparable and always followed by the noun or pronoun it relates to.
Differences / Synonyms
“Go towards sth” is similar to phrases like “contribute to,” “be used for,” or “count towards,” but there are subtle differences.
- Contribute to: Focuses on adding help or support, often voluntarily.
- Be used for: General use of resources for a purpose, less about partial payment.
- Count towards: Usually refers to achievements or requirements, not money.
Example: “Your donation goes towards the project” means the money helps pay for it, while “Your donation contributes to the project” emphasizes participation or support.
Common Collocations
“Go towards” often appears with financial or effort-related nouns. Here are some common collocations:
- Money – financial contributions or payments
- Donation – gifts of money for charity
- Payment – partial or full payments
- Funds – collected money for a purpose
- Effort – work or time spent on a goal
- Costs – expenses for something
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of go towards sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “go towards sth”:
Anna: How will the money from the bake sale be used?
Ben: All the money will go towards buying new books for the library.
Anna: That’s great! I’m happy to help.
Practice
Try filling in the blanks with the correct form of “go towards”:
- The funds raised ___________ building a new community center.
- Part of my paycheck ___________ paying for my car loan.
- Donations ___________ supporting local wildlife conservation.
Answers: go towards, goes towards, go towards
FAQs
- What does “go towards sth” mean?
It means to be used as part of a payment or support for something.
- Is “go towards” separable?
No, “go towards” is inseparable and always stays together.
- Can “go towards” be used with non-money things?
Yes, it can refer to time, effort, or other resources directed at a goal.
- What is a common mistake with “go towards”?
Separating “go” and “towards” or using “to towards” together is incorrect.
- What are synonyms for “go towards”?
Contribute to, be used for, or count towards (depending on context).
