take back — return an item
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to bring something you bought or borrowed back to the place you got it from, usually because you don't want it or it doesn't work.
Say it like a native
Textbook I shall return the defective appliance to the retailer.
Native I'll take it back to the shop.
'Take back' is the everyday verb for returning a purchase; 'return to the retailer' is formal.
Pattern: take (something) back (to somewhere)
In use
- I had to take back the shoes because they were too small.daily life
- If I buy something and it doesn't fit, I usually take it back to the store for a refund or exchange.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I want to take back it.
✓ I want to take it back.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'take it back'.
Common collocations
take back + goods— to the shop, for a refund, the faulty one, it
Don't confuse it
'Bring back' means to bring something with you to a place, but 'take back' focuses on returning it to where it came from.
Related
- take back (retract words) — Another meaning of 'take back' is 'retract words'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.