# go back

CEFR A1 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to return to a place where you were before.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I go back at my country." but "I go back to my country." — The preposition 'to' is used to indicate the destination you are returning to.

## Usage notes

- 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).

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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.