Go through the roof means rising very sharply, about prices, demand or bills: Our electricity bill has gone through the roof. The second meaning is becoming furious: The owner went through the roof when she saw the broken window. The subject tells you which: numbers rise, people get angry.
When would you say go through the roof?
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prices / demand go through the roof; a person goes through the roof
- Demand for umbrellas went through the roof during the rainy week.
- The owner went through the roof when she saw the broken window.
- Our electricity bill has gone through the roof this winter.
What changed
First versionTicket prices have went through the roof since last summer.
RevisionTicket prices have gone through the roof since last summer.
Went is the past tense and the sentence is about the past, so went feels right after have. But have needs the past participle: have gone. Without have, went is correct: prices went through the roof.
Hit the roof is only about anger: Dad hit the roof. Go through the roof covers both anger and prices. For neutral writing about prices, rise sharply works: Prices rose sharply in May.
Your turn
Choose the form used after have: Travel costs have ___ through the roof.
Show the answer
gone — After have you need the past participle: gone. Went is the simple past and is used without have.
Describe something in your city that has become much more expensive over the past year. Use go through the roof.
Rents in our city have gone through the roof over the past year.
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