Go after means to chase someone in order to catch them, or to try to get something: go after a job. Both meanings involve a goal and effort: you want to stop the person, or to win the position, prize or dream.
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go after + person (to catch them); go after + job/prize/goal
- When a man grabbed her bag, two passers-by went after him and caught him.
- She's going after a job at a big design studio in Berlin.
- If you really want that scholarship, go after it and don't let one rejection stop you.
What changed
First versionAfter the lecture, I went after my friends to the café.
RevisionAfter the lecture, I followed my friends to the café.
Went after can look like a simple way of saying you walked behind someone, but go after means a chase: it sounds as if you wanted to catch your friends and stop them. Simply walking behind someone to the same place is follow: I followed my friends to the café.
Follow means to go behind someone without chasing them: Follow me, I'll show you the way. Go after means to catch up with someone to stop them or bring them back: He's left his phone on the table, go after him! Run after means almost the same, but stresses that you're running.
Your turn
A man snatched my phone and ran off down the street, so I ___ him.
Show the answer
went after — A thief is running off with your phone, and you rush after him to catch him, so went after fits. Went behind would only describe your position, somewhere at the back, not a chase.
Write about a goal you're going after right now: a job, a place on a course or a sports result. Name the goal and your first step towards it.
I'm going after a place on a master's programme in Edinburgh, so my first step is to finish my portfolio by March.
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