I have going

[Maybo]

What does “going” mean?

 

[jutfrank]

It means something like 'currently active'.

 

[Skrej]

Or 'currently using'.

I hope she doesn't need in that closet (or whatever that blocked door leads to) very frequently.

 

[emsr2d2]

I hope she doesn't need in that closet (or whatever that blocked door leads to) very frequently.

There's something missing there, @Skrej.

 

[Maybo]

Can I use the word in the following sentence?

1. I have going the system.
2. I have going the the method.
3. I have going the decorations.

 

[jutfrank]

The pattern is 'have something going'.

I don't think you should try to use it all. It's way too advanced for your current level.

 

[Maybo]

The pattern is 'have something going'.

I don't think you should try to use it all. It's way too advanced for your current level.

Is the phrase informal?

 

[Tarheel]

@Maybo You have a habit of asking the wrong question.

Yes, it's informal (more or less). She is simply saying that's the setup she has. I like people who like plants.

It's not that complicated. She's simply saying that's her setup. It is, as we say, just an expression. (In this case, not much of one.)

I like the pic. You have a few plants yourself, don't you?

 

[Maybo]

@Maybo You have a habit of asking the wrong question.

Yes, it's informal (more or less).

She is simply saying that's the setup she has.

I like people who like plants.

It's not that complicated.

She's simply saying that's her setup.

It is, as we say, just an expression. (In this case, not much of one.)

I like the pic.

You have a few plants yourself, don't you?

But what is the right question?

 

[Holmes]

Is the phrase informal?

I agree with Tarheel that "have something going" is informal. Her friends could even say, "Nice plants! I like what you have going (on) here."

Instead of speaking of a plant setup that she has going, she could have spoken of a plant setup she has in progress.

To have a project going (on) is to have a project in progress.

 

[Maybo]

I agree with Tarheel that "have something going" is informal. Her friends could even say, "Nice plants! I like what you have going (on) here."

Instead of speaking of a plant setup that she has going, she could have spoken of a plant setup she has in progress.

To have a project going (on) is to have a project in progress.

It seems that the idea is similar to “what’s going on”.

 

[Rover_KE]

I don't think you should try to use it all.

Neither do I. I‘ve never heard it or said it without ‘on’.

 

[Tarheel]

But what is the right question?

The sentence itself means something, but you picked one word out of it and asked about that. To sensibly answer your question I need to respond as if you had asked about the sentence in question and not that one word.

She is simply saying that the current display is what she has so far, but she will probably add to it

 

[Maybo]

The sentence itself means something, but you picked one word out of it and asked about that. To sensibly answer your question I need to respond as if you had asked about the sentence in question and not that one word.

She is simply saying that the current display is what she has so far, but she will probably add to it

I didn’t know “have something going” is a phrase. I can’t parse the sentence as you do. I understand the general idea of the sentence but the use of “going” is new to me.

 

[Tarheel]

I didn’t know “have something going” is a phrase. I can’t parse the sentence as you do. I understand the general idea of the sentence but THAT use of “going” is new to me.

It's not about the word "going" at all.

 

[Maybo]

It's not about the word "going" at all.

That’s why I asked. If I didn’t ask, how would I know?

 

[emsr2d2]

@Maybo To me, your question was perfectly clear. You understood what "This is what I have so far ..." would have meant, and possibly what "This is what I have going on so far ..." would have meant, but the person used neither. They used "This is what I have going so far" so your question was absolutely about the word "going" and why it was there. In my opinion, it's certainly not a natural sentence. I'd probably go so far as to say it's not grammatical. I think she meant to write "This is what I've got going on so far ..." but missed out a word.

 

[Skrej]

There's something missing there, @Skrej.

I hope she doesn't need in that closet (or whatever that blocked door leads to) very frequently.

@emsr2d2 Not that I see. I suppose one could use 'into' instead of 'in', but there's nothing missing.

 

[Tarheel]

Or 'currently using'.

I hope she doesn't need WHAT'S in that closet (or whatever that blocked door leads to) very frequently.

 

[Tarheel]

That’s why I asked. If I didn’t ask, how would I know?

This illustrates how important context is. What's she talking about? She's talking about plants. Furthermore, she talking about how she displays that particular plant. If you understand that that helps you understand the sentence in question.

A native speaker tend to expect certain things. That is why they will sometimes mentally supply a missing word or ignore a repeated word.

Context will tell you what is being discussed and what you can expect to see