Phrasal verbs · Free lesson
Take it back: return something you bought
You buy a desk lamp, but it does not work at home. You decide to return it to the shop. Take back names that return.
Professor Scott MendozaMeaning in this lesson
take back
to return something you bought to the shop
Example
“The lamp did not work, so I took it back.”
I returned the lamp to the shop because it did not work.
The short answer
To return a purchase, say take the lamp back or take back the lamp. When you replace the item with it, use take it back, not take back it. The past form is took it back.
A noun has two positions; it goes in the middle.
The item name can go between take and back or after back: take the lamp back, take back the lamp. A short object pronoun such as it goes between the two parts. Add to the shop if you need to make the destination clear.
From the item name to a pronoun
I want to take the lamp back.
I want to take it back.
I took it back yesterday.
It refers to the lamp you already mentioned. Back stays after it, even when take changes to took.
Explain the return
Name the problem
The lamp did not work.
Use the past return phrase
I took it back.
Connect the reason and action
The lamp did not work, so I took it back.
Try it now
Choose the shop-return phrase.
Read all answers and explanations
You have already mentioned the lamp. Use it in your plan to return the purchase.
I want to take it back.The pronoun it goes between take and back. The two possible noun positions do not both work for this pronoun.
Choose the correct past report of the return.
I took it back yesterday.Took is the irregular past of take. It stays before back.
Choose another correct way to say “I want to take the lamp back.” Keep the noun the lamp.
I want to take back the lamp.A full noun can follow back: take back the lamp. The other arrangements do not express this return correctly.
Put it into practice
Fix the return plan.
Keep it referring to the lamp. Move the pronoun into its correct position.
I will take back it tomorrow.
See a model answer
I will take it back tomorrow.
The sentence still describes a future return; only the pronoun position changes.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
What if I am returning two items?
Use them instead of it, and keep the pronoun in the middle. Make clear which items you mean first.
These lamps do not work. I will take them back.
Does I take that back always refer to a shop?
No. In a conversation about something you said, it can mean you withdraw your statement. The shop context selects the purchase-return meaning here.
I said it was broken, but I take that back. It works now.
Take it into your day
Take the lamp back and take back the lamp both work. With a pronoun, use take it back; in the past, took it back.
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