# go back to

CEFR A1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/go-back-to
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

To return to a place where you were before, or to start doing something again that you had stopped.

For teachers: A transitive phrasal verb meaning to return to a previous location, state, topic, or activity.

## Examples

- Let's go back to the beginning of the story.
- After a long vacation, it was difficult to go back to the routine of daily work.
- The politician refused to go back to the controversial topic, skillfully deflecting every question about her past statements.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I want to go back at my old job." but "I want to go back to my old job." — The preposition 'to' is required to indicate the destination or the thing being returned to.

## Usage notes

- The object is the destination or the activity/state being resumed.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'return to' (more formal) and 'get back to' (a near-synonym, often used for tasks or communication).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.