Let's go+verb structure

[Marzena]

Hi! I've been wondering for some time if there is a rule in case of Let's go +Verb structure.
Let's go play tennis.
Let's go swimming, shopping.
Is there a rule which states clearly when we add an -ing ending to the given verb.
I will be grateful for help.
Marzena

[Cerberus™]

How does this sound:
- "Let's go do something" is used when two or more words follow "go".
- "Let's go doing" is used when the "doing" is expressed by one word only.

[AmYankee]

In addition, you can change the tense of "go" in "go doing". For example:

- They have gone shopping. (present perfect)
- We went sightseeing. (past simple)

"Go do" is basically a shortened form of "go and do". However, you can use "go do" only in the "go do" form. You can say these, for example:

- You should go get some sleep.
- We want to go see that movie.
- I will go find us some help.
- Mary told John to go jump in a lake.

You cannot say any of these:

* He goes get some sleep.
* We went see the movie.
* I am going find us some help.
* John has gone jumped in a lake.

But you can say this, for example:

- We went and saw the movie.

_________________
- Amy -
ESL teacher, native speaker of American English

[Daemon99]

Where have you been Amy? Good to see you back. :)
_________________
Non-native speaker of English
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I intend to live forever - so far, so good.

[AmYankee]

Hi Daemon

Nice to see you, too.
Where have I been? Well, I also post on other ESL forums for one thing. My Yankee username was unceremoniously deactivated here last year, and it still doesn't work. I guess the prospect of additional contributions from Yankee was and still is just too terrifying a thought for some people to deal with.
:wink:
So, I don't intend to post much here anymore. I may pop in occasionally under this new username -- unless it ends up being deactivated too, that is.

Take care,
Amy
____________________________________
ESL teacher, translator, native speaker of American English and author of more than 8000 posts on this site.