go on stage

Meaning

This phrase means to walk onto the performing area in a theater or concert hall to perform in front of an audience. It can refer to actors, musicians, public speakers, or presenters.

Examples

• She always gets a bit nervous right before she has to go on stage.

  She always gets a bit nervous right before she has to go on stage.

• The band is scheduled to go on stage at exactly eight o'clock tonight.

  The band is scheduled to go on stage at exactly eight o'clock tonight.

• He took a deep breath, smiled, and prepared to go on stage.

  He took a deep breath, smiled, and prepared to go on stage.

• You need to turn off your phone before you go on stage for the performance.

  You need to turn off your phone before you go on stage for the performance.

• The crowd went wild the moment the lead singer started to go on stage.

  The crowd went wild the moment the lead singer started to go on stage.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She went to the stage to sing her song.

  ✓ She went on stage to sing her song.

  The idiomatic expression for entering the performance area to perform is 'go on stage' (without 'the'). 'Go to the stage' sounds like walking towards a physical platform without necessarily performing.

• ✗ He was too afraid to go on the stage.

  ✓ He was too afraid to go on stage.

  In the context of performing, we omit the definite article 'the' in 'go on stage'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The actors are waiting in the wings, ready to ___.

  💡 To walk out and perform in front of the audience.

  Show answer

  go on stage

• I always drink some warm water before I ___ to speak.

  💡 Use the verb 'go' and the preposition 'on'.

  Show answer

  go on stage