How to understand 'to go' in 'There's still an hour left to go'? It goes like this: --Hurry up, or we'll be late. --Take your time. There's still an hour left to go. I understand it means we don't ne

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Heidi

How to understand 'to go' in 'There's still an hour left to go'? It goes like this: --Hurry up, or we'll be late. --Take your time. There's still an hour left to go. I understand it means we don't need to rush. Because we have one more hour. But does 'to go' mean the time goes or we go? Thank you!!

Mar 12, 2016 12:30 PM

Answers · 13

"To go" means "remaining". This is the definition. Nobody and nothing is going anywhere or performing any "going" action. "To go" is not to be interpreted literally.

March 12, 2016

"To go" = "remaining" here. There is one hour to go = There is one hour remaining We have one mile to go = We have one mile remaining The sense is that the item (e.g., hour, mile) that is "to go" will be used up or passed through. Do not confuse this with the expression "I'll have my food to go." Here "to go" means "I will take my food with me rather than eat it in the restaurant."

March 12, 2016

Hi Helen, In the context of "There's still an hour left to go." - This would mean that there is still one hour of time to pass. M

March 12, 2016

Thank you, Oliver!! I guess some sentences are confusing to natives as well :)

March 13, 2016

Examples with time and distance are misleading. Let's have a clearer example where nothing may be misunderstood to be doing any "going" at all. Example: I am marking exam papers. I have done 45. There are still 125 to go.

March 12, 2016

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