Use Of 'Going On'?

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Hi

Could you please tell me if the use of 'going on' in the sense 'acting as' is natural here?

  1. She is 40, going on 20. (=Although she is forty she behaves like a twenty-year-old girl.) Perhaps said sarcasticly
  2. He is 10, going on 20. (=Although he is only ten he acts/behaves like a mature young man.) Perhaps a compliment

Thanks,

Tom

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anonymousa little joke

And then there's my favorite: I'm 62, going on dead. Emotion: big smile

That usually gets some laughs.

CJ

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Mr. TomCould you please tell me if the use of 'going on' in the sense 'acting as' is natural here?

It's used properly, but that's not what "going on" means. It means "approaching". If you are 16 going on 17, your birthday is coming fairly soon. In the case of "13 going on 30", it's a little joke.

 CalifJim's reply was promoted to an answer.

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