Phrasal verb
go back
Definition
phrasal verb. to return to a place where you were before.
phrasal verb. to return to a previous location, time, or state. This is an intransitive phrasal verb.
Examples
“I want to go back home.”
“After the holiday, we have to go back to work on Monday.”
“The historian wished he could go back in time to witness the signing of the declaration firsthand.”
Examples
simple
“I want to go back home.”
contextual
“After the holiday, we have to go back to work on Monday.”
complex
“The historian wished he could go back in time to witness the signing of the declaration firsthand.”
Usage
Often followed by 'to' and a destination, or used alone if the destination is understood.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'return' (more formal) and 'come back' (which implies returning to the speaker's current location).
Pitfall
I go back at my country.
I go back to my country.
The preposition 'to' is used to indicate the destination you are returning to.
Phrasal verb
Particles
back
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + back
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/go-back