Lindsay McMahon
"The English Adventurer"

Have you ever heard somebody say that something is “good to go” in English?

Does this phrase confuse you because it doesn’t apply to movement in any way?

If you have been in this situation before, you are not alone and it can be confusing.

We’ll help you to understand what this phrase means, how you can use it, and where it applies.

Here’s a question about this very phrase that helps highlight a confusing topic.

 

Hey there Lindsay and Michelle, 

I’d like to let you know how precious your podcasts are–they are such a useful tool!

Well I have a question.Back in 2015, an IT employee helped me with an issue on my PC.When it was done, he told me: The issue is done.You should be good to go.

I asked about this to some  non-native English speakers,but it wasn’t clear to me or them. 

Girls, what did he mean when said YOU SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO?

Was I going somewhere?

It’s confusing and I could really use your help.

Best regards from Embu das Artes, Brazil.

Danilo Oliveira

 

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Understanding The Meaning

This is a great question because it can be a very confusing phrase.

Are you really going somewhere?

Let’s look at the context of this because it may help to enlighten the situation.

In the example when they were told they should be “good to go,” it simply means that the issue is fixed and the computer should be ready.

It may show the completion of something, though it may not feel that way in its literal meaning.

It may mean that you are able to continue, to move on, or to carry on with your other tasks.

 

When Might You Use This Phrase?

There are several instances where you might use this phrase in your conversations.

Here are a couple of great uses for saying “good to go” or “it’s good to go” in conversation.

  • To talk about something that is working that wasn’t previously working
  • To talk about being ready for something, like a presentation that you have been waiting for.
  • To show completion in a situation or as a transition that you can move onto the next step or scenario

 

Real Life Examples To Utilize

A few examples can help you to see how this can work into your conversations.

  • “Sorry for that interruption, Lindsay. OK, you should be good to go now.” This means she can begin now, she is ready, and there should be no more interruptions. — a good one to connect at work!
  • “Oh no my shoe is untied. Okay I’m good to go.” I’m ready to keep  walking or running because I’ve taken care of the issue.
  • “Ah my cell phone just turned off. Okay phew never mind it should be good to go.” You might have thought it was a problem, but it’s not. It’s now ready for use.
  • “I’m good to meet at 6:00” or “I should be good to meet at 6:00.” This means that you are available to do something at that point in time.

When in doubt about such words or phrases, write it down and look it up or even ask native English speakers that you know.

 

Takeaway

This is a great phrase and it’s great for you to understand it and know how to use it.

This phrase can connect you to others when you want to discuss things such as being ready or having the ability to continue.

Understanding the meaning of such things, especially in conversation can be huge for your ability to make connections.

This is one of those phrases that you can use in everyday conversations–and you start to feel yourself mastering your English speaking abilities.

 

If you have any questions, please leave them below in the comments section.

We’ll get back to you as soon as we can. 

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