The verb to return · Conjugation
Past Simple of return
The answer: returned
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to return is returned.
Example: I returned the book.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | returned |
| You | returned |
| He / She / It | returned |
| We | returned |
| You (pl.) | returned |
| They | returned |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I returned back home ❌
Return already means go back, so don't add back: I returned home or I went back home. When you speak, go back is more common.
2. A return = a one-way ticket ❌
In the UK, a return is not just a ticket to come back. It is a ticket to go and come back. In the US, it is a round trip.
Practice quiz
Going further
The English contest tests the Past Simple of return in real sentences
Instead of a single school exercise, your students meet this tense in context, in a contest that really motivates them.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYMaster the Past Simple of return when you speak, not just on paper
The conjugation is clear in your head. On PLAY, you practise it in a game, with instant feedback, until it comes out on its own.
Practise the Past Simple of return on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersYour whole class practises the Past Simple of return, and you follow each student
The Academy has self-marking activities on this form, with a dashboard for each student: you see at a glance who is falling behind.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of return?+
Returned. Return is a regular verb: I returned the book.
What is the difference between return and go back?+
Return is more formal, often in writing. Go back is the everyday form. I returned home. I went back home.
Is a return ticket British?+
Yes. In the UK, a return is a ticket to go and come back. In the US, people say a round trip.
What does press return mean?+
The return key is the Enter key on a keyboard, so press return means press Enter.
What is ROI?+
ROI stands for return on investment: the money you get back from an investment. It is business vocabulary.
Related pages: return Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/verbs/return/past-simple
© 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.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to return are coming soon.