Forego or Forgo?
What Is the Difference between "Forego" and "Forgo"?
"Forego" and "forgo" are different words. (The difference between "forego" and "forgo" has nothing to do with US and UK spelling conventions.)- "Forego" ("forewent" and "foregone") means "to precede."
- "Forgo" ("forwent" and "forgone") means "to do without (something)."
The graph shows that "forego benefits" (technically an error) was more common than the correct version ("forgo benefits") for nearly 80 years of the last century. Since the late 90s (most probably due to the rise of the internet), this error is being corrected. (More below)
More about "Forego," "Forewent," and "Foregone"
The verb "forego" means "to precede" (i.e., to go before). The past tense of "forego" is "forewent." The past participle is "foregone."Example sentences with "forego":
- The dancers will forego the introduction. ("Forego" is a rare word.)
- Luckily, I forewent George, who is a brilliant speaker. ("Forewent" is a rare word.)
- It was no surprise to anyone they won the election. It was a foregone conclusion. (In modern English, "foregone" is by far the most common form of the verb to "forego.")
Here is an example of "forego" being used "incorrectly" but acceptably:
- Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forego an advantage. (Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli)
More about "Forgo," "Forwent," and "Forgone"
The verb "forgo" means "to do without (something)." The past tense of "forgo" is "forwent." The past participle is "forgone." For example:- Jason said he would forgo the pay incentive to stay with the team.
- I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. (Astronomer Galileo Galilei)
- She forwent the starter to ensure enough room for the treacle tart.
- I would have forgone the starter, if I'd known there was treacle tart!
Learning Resources
play:
Tetris (easily confused words) confidence game (easily confused words)lists:
common writing errors most misspelled words in Englishmore actions:
Test Time!
This test is printable and sendable