Back and forth: V来V去
固定格式 / fixed patterns
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
V + 来 + V + 去 (+ 还是 / 也 / 都…)
V来V去 describes an action repeated back and forth, often without result: 走来走去 (pace up and down), 想来想去 (turn it over and over), 找来找去 (search everywhere).
The rest of the sentence usually gives the (often disappointing) conclusion, with 还是 / 也 / 都: 想来想去，还是不知道选哪个 (I've thought and thought, and still don't know which to pick).
Use one-syllable verbs.
Examples
教练在场边走来走去，非常紧张。
Jiàoliàn zài chǎng biān zǒu lái zǒu qù, fēicháng jǐnzhāng.The coach paced up and down the sideline, very nervous.
我想来想去，还是决定报名参加比赛。
Wǒ xiǎng lái xiǎng qù, háishi juédìng bàomíng cānjiā bǐsài.After thinking it over and over, I decided to sign up for the competition.
球票我找来找去也没找到。
Qiúpiào wǒ zhǎo lái zhǎo qù yě méi zhǎodào.I searched everywhere but couldn't find the match ticket.
Common mistakes
✗ 考虑来考虑去 → prefer a one-syllable verb. ✓ 想来想去。
✗ 走去走来 → fixed order: ✓ 走来走去。