Go vs. Come – English Grammar Exercises for A1
You are at home or in a dorm. You see your friends getting ready to leave for the supermarket. You also need to buy a few things, so you ask for permission to join their group and accompany them.
Choose the best word (A, B, C, or D) to complete the sentences.
1 “Are you going to the supermarket? Can I ______ with you?”
(A) go
(B) come
(C) to come
(D) join
2 “I need to buy some fresh bread. I want to ______ with you guys to the store.”
(A) come
(B) coming
(C) go
(D) follow
3 “Please wait for me by the door! I am ______ with you to the supermarket.”
(A) come
(B) going
(C) walking
(D) coming
4 “You are leaving for the grocery store right now? Let me ______ with you!”
(A) travel
(B) go
(C) come
(D) to come
5 “Do you mind if I ______ to the supermarket too? I need some milk.”
(A) go
(B) coming
(C) arrive
(D) come
6 “I see you have your car keys. If you are driving to the market, I will ______ with you.”
(A) come
(B) to come
(C) go
(D) join
7 “We need more fresh fruit. Are you ______ with us to buy some?”
(A) joining
(B) come
(C) coming
(D) going
8 “My sister wants to know if she can ______ along to the supermarket with your group.”
(A) go
(B) follow
(C) coming
(D) come
9 “I am going to buy some vegetables.” – “Great, I’ll ______ with you!”
(A) come
(B) go
(C) visit
(D) to come
10 “Don’t leave the house without me! I am ______ downstairs to join you right now.”
(A) going
(B) coming
(C) come
(D) arriving
11 “Is it okay if I ______ with you to help carry the heavy grocery bags?”
(A) to come
(B) go
(C) come
(D) bring
12 “I didn’t know you were shopping today. I would love to ______ with you.”
(A) join
(B) coming
(C) go
(D) come
13 “Are you taking your car to the store? I don’t want to walk, so I must ______ with you.”
(A) come
(B) drive
(C) to come
(D) go
14 “I only need to buy one apple, so I will just ______ with you quickly.”
(A) go
(B) come
(C) coming
(D) walk
15 “I can’t ______ with you to the supermarket because I have to ______ to the library instead.”
(A) go / go
(B) go / come
(C) come / go
(D) to come / going
16 “You guys ______ ahead to the checkout line. I will ______ and find you in a minute.”
(A) come / go
(B) go / come
(C) going / coming
(D) go / arrive
17 “I know you are leaving for the store, but my brother can’t ______ with you today; he has to ______ to work.”
(A) come / go
(B) go / go
(C) coming / to go
(D) come / arrive
18 “I originally wanted to ______ with you to the grocery store, but I decided to ______ to the park alone.”
(A) go / go
(B) coming / going
(C) go / come
(D) come / go
19 “We are leaving for the supermarket!” – “Wait, are you letting the dog ______ with you?”
(A) to come
(B) come
(C) go
(D) join
20 “You can ______ to the supermarket now without me, and I will ______ over to meet you there later.”
(A) come / go
(B) go / come
(C) go / go
(D) going / coming
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) come
Why it is correct: When you ask to accompany the listener and join their group, you use “come with you”.
Mistake Analysis: (A) “go” is the Common Mistake (students translate “đi cùng” directly, but in English, joining the listener’s movement is “coming”). (C) “to come” is a Structural Error after the modal “can”. (D) “join” is a Meaning Trap (you say “join you”, not “join with you”).
2 (A) come
Why it is correct: “Want to” is followed by a base verb. You are asking to join the listeners.
Mistake Analysis: (C) “go” is the Common Mistake. (B) “coming” is a Structural Error. (D) “follow” is a Meaning Trap (“follow with you” is incorrect phrasing; you would just say “follow you”).
3 (D) coming
Why it is correct: Present continuous (am + V-ing) for an action happening right now. You are moving to join their group.
Mistake Analysis: (B) “going” is the Common Mistake. (A) “come” is a Structural Error (missing -ing). (C) “walking” is a Meaning Trap (it doesn’t carry the specific grammatical function of joining a group like “coming” does).
4 (C) come
Why it is correct: “Let me” is followed by a base verb.
Mistake Analysis: (B) “go” is the Common Mistake. (D) “to come” is a Structural Error. (A) “travel” is a Meaning Trap (too formal and unnatural for a quick grocery trip).
5 (D) come
Why it is correct: You are asking for permission to enter their group and accompany them.
Mistake Analysis: (A) “go” is the Common Mistake. (B) “coming” is a Structural Error. (C) “arrive” is a Meaning Trap.
6 (A) come
Why it is correct: “Will” is followed by a base verb. You are stating your intention to join the listener.
Mistake Analysis: (C) “go” is the Common Mistake. (B) “to come” is a Structural Error. (D) “join” is a Meaning Trap (again, “join with you” is grammatically incorrect).
7 (C) coming
Why it is correct: Present continuous (Are you + V-ing). The speaker is asking if the listener is joining their group (“with us”).
Mistake Analysis: (D) “going” is the Common Mistake. (B) “come” is a Structural Error. (A) “joining” is a Meaning Trap (“joining with us” is awkward; “joining us” is correct).
8 (D) come
Why it is correct: “Come along” is a natural English phrasal verb meaning to accompany someone.
Mistake Analysis: (A) “go” is the Common Mistake. (C) “coming” is a Structural Error after “can”. (B) “follow” is a Meaning Trap.
9 (A) come
Why it is correct: You are enthusiastically agreeing to join the listener’s trip.
Mistake Analysis: (B) “go” is the Common Mistake. (D) “to come” is a Structural Error. (C) “visit” is a Meaning Trap.
10 (B) coming
Why it is correct: You are physically moving downstairs to join the listener’s group right now (am + V-ing).
Mistake Analysis: (A) “going” is the Common Mistake. (C) “come” is a Structural Error. (D) “arriving” is a Meaning Trap.
11 (C) come
Why it is correct: Asking for permission to join the listener’s activity.
Mistake Analysis: (B) “go” is the Common Mistake. (A) “to come” is a Structural Error. (D) “bring” is a Meaning Trap.
12 (D) come
Why it is correct: “Would love to” is followed by a base verb.
Mistake Analysis: (C) “go” is the Common Mistake. (B) “coming” is a Structural Error. (A) “join” is a Meaning Trap (“join with you” is wrong).
13 (A) come
Why it is correct: “Must” is followed by a base verb. You are entering their vehicle/group.
Mistake Analysis: (D) “go” is the Common Mistake. (C) “to come” is a Structural Error. (B) “drive” is a Meaning Trap (you are the passenger, not the driver).
14 (B) come
Why it is correct: “Will” is followed by a base verb.
Mistake Analysis: (A) “go” is the Common Mistake. (C) “coming” is a Structural Error. (D) “walk” is a Meaning Trap.
15 (C) come / go
Why it is correct: First action: You cannot join the listener’s group = “come with you”. Second action: You must travel to a completely different third location alone = “go to the library”.
Mistake Analysis: (A) “go / go” is the Common Mistake (students fail to differentiate the directional nuances). (B) and (D) are Structural/Meaning Errors.
16 (B) go / come
Why it is correct: First action: You tell the listeners to move away from you to a third location (the checkout) = “go ahead”. Second action: You promise to move toward their location in a minute = “come and find you”.
Mistake Analysis: (A) “come / go” is the Common Mistake (reversing the rules). (C) and (D) are Structural Errors.
17 (A) come / go
Why it is correct: The brother cannot join the listener (“come with you”), because he must travel to a third location alone (“go to work”).
Mistake Analysis: (B) “go / go” is the Common Mistake. (C) and (D) are Structural Errors.
18 (D) come / go
Why it is correct: First, the desire to join the listener (“come with you”). Second, the reality of traveling alone to a third location (“go to the park”).
Mistake Analysis: (A) “go / go” is the Common Mistake. (B) and (C) are Structural Errors.
19 (B) come
Why it is correct: Asking if the dog is allowed to join the listener’s group.
Mistake Analysis: (C) “go” is the Common Mistake. (A) “to come” is a Structural Error after “letting”. (D) “join” is a Meaning Trap.
20 (B) go / come
Why it is correct: First action: You tell the listeners to travel to a third location without you = “go to the supermarket”. Second action: You promise to travel toward their location later = “come over to meet you”.
Mistake Analysis: (C) “go / go” is the Common Mistake. (A) and (D) are Structural Errors.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The “Come With” Exception: Generally, traveling to a third location like a supermarket requires the verb GO. However, there is a major exception in English! When you want to join the person you are talking to and accompany them on their trip, you are metaphorically “entering their group.” Therefore, you MUST use COME.
- Correct Usage: Always say “Can I come with you?” or “I am coming with you.” * The Common Mistake: Because students learn that traveling away from home is “going,” they naturally translate their native thoughts to “Can I go with you?” While native speakers might understand this, it sounds slightly unnatural. If you are joining the listener, stick to “come with”.
- The “Join” Trap: Many students try to avoid the Go/Come confusion by using the verb “join.” This is fine, but remember that “join” takes a direct object. You say “Can I join you?” never “Can I join with you?”