going about their day

USAGE SUMMARY

"going about their day" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to indicate that the subject is performing their daily activities. Example: The people in the village went about their day, chatting and laughing with their friends.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

Meanwhile, amid the temples, I'm seeing people going about their day in modern rural Burma.

The Washington Post

Apparently the temptation to record the every move of people going about their day is insatiable for some Glass Explorers.

The Guardian - Tech

WP: First and foremost, I hope listeners don't stop by just listening to a podcast and then closing out the SoundCloud app and going about their day.

Princeton University

Sit outdoors to view the Piazza del Plebiscito, among the most impressive squares in Italy, as well as the parade of well-dressed Neapolitans going about their day.

The New York Times - Travel

Also many of the community support officers, they just walk around pestering young people that don't need to be pestered and are just innocently going about their day.

The Guardian

But in these films there are not traffic lights, roundabouts and intersections; instead, there are hundreds of cyclists all merging, all organically going about their day.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

According to the study, a digital footprint is the trace information that web users leave behind when going about their day-to-day online tasks.

Forbes

But others can find themselves at the centre of attention just by going about their day-to-day, whether they like it or not.

Vice

For federal prosecutors going about their day-to-day work, the bill would not necessarily represent a huge step forward, since other corruption statutes, like mail and wire fraud, were still available.

Huffington Post

One gay couple conveyed the story about how in just the past week, while going about their day-to-day business with their two children, they were asked by two waiters and a cashier, "Where is the woman of the house?" The quick response is that their 13 year-old daughter is our woman of the household.

Huffington Post

If any of them do see ghosts as they go about their day, you would certainly never know it.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "going about their day" to describe people acting normally and continuing their usual routines, especially in situations where normalcy is surprising or contrasted with unusual circumstances.

Common error

Avoid using "going about their day" when simply describing ordinary actions without any contrasting or noteworthy context. The phrase is most effective when highlighting resilience, obliviousness, or normalcy amid unusual events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "going about their day" functions as a gerund phrase, often serving as a descriptive element within a sentence. As seen in examples analyzed by Ludwig, it adds context by illustrating people continuing their normal routines, even when unexpected or disruptive events occur.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "going about their day" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that describes people performing their usual daily activities, often in situations where this normalcy is surprising or noteworthy. As analyzed by Ludwig, this phrase appears predominantly in news and media contexts, serving to highlight resilience, obliviousness, or a stark contrast between ordinary life and surrounding circumstances. While versatile, it is most effective when used to emphasize this contrast, rather than simply describing ordinary actions. Related phrases include ""carrying on with daily life"" and ""performing daily routines"", offering similar nuances depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

carrying on with daily life

Emphasizes the continuation of normal activities despite surrounding circumstances.

performing daily routines

Highlights the habitual and regular nature of the activities.

conducting their usual activities

Focuses on the typical actions that define a person's day.

living their normal lives

Stresses the normalcy and routine aspect of existence.

pursuing everyday tasks

Highlights the active engagement in ordinary responsibilities.

attending to daily affairs

Implies a focus on managing personal or business matters.

handling their day-to-day business

Focuses on the transactional aspects of daily life.

managing their daily affairs

Suggests overseeing and directing regular activities.

doing what they normally do

Simplifies the concept to basic, expected behavior.

following their regular schedule

Emphasizes adherence to a pre-established timetable.

FAQs

What does "going about their day" mean?

The phrase "going about their day" means people are doing their usual daily activities, often in a normal way despite something unusual or difficult happening around them.

How can I use "going about their day" in a sentence?

You can use "going about their day" to describe people acting as usual, for example: "Even after the announcement, people were "carrying on with daily life" and "performing daily routines"."

What's a good alternative to "going about their day"?

Alternatives include phrases like "living their normal lives", or "handling their day-to-day business", depending on the specific context you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "go about their day" instead of "going about their day"?

While "go about their day" can be grammatically correct in certain sentence structures (e.g. "They can go about their day"), "going about their day" is typically used as a gerund or part of a continuous verb form to describe an ongoing action.