go back — have existed since
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
To have existed or started at a particular time in the past.
Say it like a native
Textbook Our friendship has existed since our childhood.
Native Our friendship goes back to childhood.
'Goes back to' is the natural way to date a long relationship or tradition. 'Has existed since' is stiff.
Pattern: go back (to [time])
In use
- This tradition goes back to the 18th century.history
- The use of computers in education goes back several decades, but it has become much more common recently.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ We go back since school.
✓ 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).
Common collocations
go back + to— to childhood, to the 1800s, years, way back
Don't confuse it
This sense is about time, not movement.
Related
- go back (return) — Another meaning of 'go back' is 'return'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.