1.
to return to a place you know
“I have to go back home.”
“She went back to England.”
“When are you going back to work?”
Synonyms: to return
Phrasal verb
What does go back mean?
Meaning: to return to a place
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Go back = to return to a place where you were before (away from the speaker). I have to go back to school = I must return to school. It is different from come back = to return towards the speaker.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to have started at a time in the past
figurative“This tradition goes back to 1850.”
“Our friendship goes back years.”
Word order
Intransitive (no object)
This phrasal verb does not take an object.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- go back
- Past Simple:
- went back
- Past participle:
- gone back
- -ing form:
- going back
Common mistakes to avoid
Go back is not come back
Go back = to return, away from the speaker. Come back = to return towards the speaker. At school, the teacher says Come back to your seat (towards the teacher). To a student who is leaving: Go back home.
Go back TO + a place
You need a preposition: go back TO + a place. Go back to school, go back to England. Exception: go back home ✓ (no preposition with home), never go back to home ❌.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: go back
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Go back: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
Understanding a rule is only the first step. On PLAY, you use it in real situations, at your own pace, until it becomes automatic.
Practise “go back” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersGo back: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
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English contestGo back: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does go back mean?+
Go back = to return to a place you know, moving away from the speaker. Go back to school = return to school. It can also be about time: This tradition goes back to 1850 = it started in 1850.
What is the difference between go back and come back?+
It is about direction. Come back = to return towards me (the speaker). Go back = to return to a place away from me. I am at home and you leave: Come back soon! (come back here, where I am). You are far from home and you want to leave: I have to go back.
Is go back separable?+
No, it takes no direct object. It is followed by to + a place (except home). Nothing goes between go and back.
What is the past simple of go back?+
Went back. Go is irregular: go → went → gone. He went back to his country.
What does back to school mean?+
Back to school is the time when the school year starts again after the summer holidays. Shops often use it in their adverts. For the action, say I'm going back to school next week.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/go-back
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.