I can’t go without my phone, or I can’t do without my phone... what’s the difference in meaning between these two sentences? In today’s video, I explain how native English speakers actually use the phrasal verbs “go without” and “do without” in everyday conversations, and to practice using them yourself, try writing a sentence with them in the comments! Here are the meanings of these phrasal verbs, along with extra examples: 🔹go without = to not have something, and to be forced to live without it; this verb focuses on our lack of something, and we typically use it with a time expression to talk about how long we haven’t had something: During the pandemic, many people went without consistent social interaction for a long period of time. 🔸do without = to be able to manage without something; this verb focuses on our ability to live without something and not have any problems: Nowadays, high school students can’t do without AI when completing their assignments. 🔹However, keep in mind that “go without” can also mean that you’re successfully managing without something, so in some situations, these verbs can be interchangeable. However, here are the most common uses of these verbs in everyday conversation: 🔹go without = commonly used with a time expression between “go” and “without” and an -ing verb (also called a gerund) after “without” to say how long someone hasn’t done something: He’s cranky because he’s gone three weeks without eating any junk food. The longest he’s gone without taking a shower is five days. 🔸do without = commonly used with “could” (to talk about something in the present) or “could have” (to talk about something in the past) to say that we would prefer to NOT have something in a certain situation because we don’t like it. So, it’s basically a more advanced way to say that you don’t like something: The concert was amazing, but I could’ve done without all the screaming from the crowd. I love staying at their house, but I could definitely do without being in the middle of all their arguments. . . . .
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