'be into sth' is less formal than 'be interested in sth'

[O'Dolly]

English Idioms and Expressions, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #8 "Preposition Exercises", question 4

He's always interested in elections and is very much into politics.

(a) very concerned about
(b) very worried about
(c) very interested in
(d) very happy about

English Idioms and Expressions, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #8 "Preposition Exercises", answer 4

He's always interested in elections and is very interested in politics.

Correct answer: (c) very interested in
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I don't know how to do this exercise.
Maybe I am making mistakes.

Dolly

[Yankee]

Hi

There are words in boldface type in the test sentence. You have to decide which of the choices means the same thing as the words in boldface type:

[FangFang]

Hi, Amy:

Do you think that "be into sth" is less formal than "be interested in sth"?

How about "go for sth"?

[Yankee]

Hi FangFang

Yes, be into something and go for something both sound more informal to me.

Amy
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Alan]

Hi FangFang,

Go for something changes the meaning as it's different from interested in and very much into. The last two simply indicate that someone finds something interesting. Go for is more active because here the emphasis is on making an effort to use an opportunity as in:

Question: What do you think I should do? Should I accept the offer or turn it down?

Answer: If I were you I would go for it and accept the offer.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Adverbs

[Yankee]

Hi Alan

What you're talking about is a different idiom, in my opinion. It exists as the fairly firmly fixed expression "go for it".

For me "go for something" means "be interested in something". I'd say it's also typically used with the word really:
"I really go for ..."
Maybe this idiom is unknown in BE...(?)

Amy
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Alan]

Hi Amy,

To me 'go for' is available for one or two meanings but I can't quite get my head round (I love that expression) the idea of it meaning interested in as I would regard it as being in a different league. So let me show what I mean.

It has the meaning of opt for(often with the idea of seizing an opportunity as in my illustrative sentence) but also when 'going for' or choosing one of the options for example in our famous multiple choice tests.

It has also almost a sense of being a fan of or even stronger as in: go for something (or someone if you like) in a big way suggesting that you are (very) fond of it or them but to me that's not the same as being interested in.

I hope I'm not splitting hairs.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Colour Idioms

[Yankee]

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Let's just go for the British opinion then. I don't really go for pointless discussions. I'm neither fond of them nor interested in them.
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English