[Grammar] let's go eating or eat?

[ingela]

Are these both correct?

Let's go eating.
Let's go eat.

 

[Allen165]

NOT A TEACHER.

No, only "Let's go eat" is correct.

 

[BobK]

NOT A TEACHER.

No, only "Let's go eat" is correct.

... but not for users of standard British English, who would say 'Let's go and eat'.

The -ing form would be OK if you were referring to an activity: 'let's go fishing/sailing/swimming...', so perhaps the rule is '...an activity that involves locomotion'. Just sitting at a table eating doesn't count! Perhaps some other teacher can express this better...

b

 

[Allen165]

... but not for users of standard British English, who would say 'Let's go and eat'.

The -ing form would be OK if you were referring to an activity: 'let's go fishing/sailing/swimming...', so perhaps the rule is '...an activity that involves locomotion'. Just sitting at a table eating doesn't count! Perhaps some other teacher can express this better...

b

Are you suggesting that "Let's go eat" is poor grammar?

 

[BobK]

Are you suggesting that "Let's go eat" is poor grammar?

It depends what you mean by 'poor grammar'. It's not poor grammar in Canada, but it's not accepted by educated* native speakers in the UK.

b

*PS ... although it is occasionally used by people who left school at 15, read the Sun, and watch a lot of American TV shows. Me? A snob? ;-)

PPS It's also used in a number of local dialects. (One such dialect was spoken, for example, by the Pilgrim Fathers.)

 

[Raymott]

Are you suggesting that "Let's go eat" is poor grammar?

I agree with Bob. It's not normal for non-American English.