go back — 2 meanings

One phrase, 2 meanings. Learn them one at a time, then test yourself.

phrasal verb2 meanings

go back

return

have existed since

Meaning 1 · most common

return

go back to [place)

To return to a place where you were before.

How oftenVery common

LevelB1

Used inSpeech & writing

Examples

I have to go back to the office because I forgot my laptop.

A: Are you leaving already?
B: Yeah, but I’ll go back later to pick up my bag.

Common mistake

Not: I want to go back to home.

Say: I want to go back home.

No 'to' before 'home' — 'go back home', but 'go back TO the office'.

More on “return”Another example · Tell it apart · Goes with · Tip

Another example

If I could travel anywhere, I would go back to Japan because I really enjoyed my time there.

Tell it apart

I'll go back tomorrow.

return

This tradition goes back centuries.

dates from

Goes with

go back + to/place

Practice saying this

Next meaning: have existed since

Meaning 2

have existed since

go back to [time)

To have existed or started at a particular time in the past.

How oftenCommon

LevelB2

Used inSpeech & writing

Examples

This tradition goes back to the 18th century.

A: How old is this building?
B: It goes back to the 1920s.

Common mistake

Not: We go back ~~since school.~~

Say: We go back to our school days. / We go way back.

Use 'go back TO + time', or the set phrase 'go way back' (= known each other a long time).

More on “have existed since”Another example · Tell it apart · Goes with · Tip

Another example

The use of computers in education goes back several decades, but it has become much more common recently.

Tell it apart

Their feud goes back decades.

has existed since

I need to go back home.

return

Goes with

go back + to

Practice saying this

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return have existed since