[General] go back vs return

[kompstar]

Hello,
Are the sentences below correct? Can they be used interchangeably? Is there any difference between „go back” and „return”?

1. She doesn’t want to go back to her husband.
2. She doesn’t want to return to her husband.

3. Of course we want to go back some day.
4. Of course we want to return some day.

5. When are you going back to London?
6. When are you returning to London?

7. She’s just gone back from abroad.
8. She’s just returned from abroad.

9. Everything soon went back to normal.
10. Everything soon returned to normal.

11. He went back from Paris yesterday.
12. He returned from Paris yesterday.

 

[GoesStation]

They're all correct except for number 11. You can only go back to a place; you come back from a place. If he was going back to somewhere other than the writer's location, you can say "He went back from Paris to London yesterday."

Go back and come back are much more common than return​ in conversational American English.

In English, all quotation marks go above the line, "like this".

 

[kompstar]

I’m not sure I uderstand well. If I would say ”He came back from Paris yesterday.” instead of ”He went back from Paris yesterday.” would it be correct?

 

[GoesStation]

I’m not sure I uderstand well. If I would say ”He came back from Paris yesterday.” instead of ”He went back from Paris yesterday.” would it be correct?

Yes.

 

[Barb_D]

Take a look at #7

 

[kompstar]

Take a look at #7

7. She’s just gone back from abroad.

What do you mean? Is this sentence wrong?

 

[Roman55]

Yes, it is.

The explanation in post #2 applies to sentences 7 and 11.

 

[Rover_KE]

Remember that return can mean go back or come back, depending on the context.

 

[Barb_D]

You can't say "gone back from."

Gone back to
Come back from

 

[kompstar]

I want to make sure. If I would say:

1. Of course we want to go back some day.
2. Of course we want to return some day.
3. Of course we want to come back some day.

it would be correct and mean the same?

 

[emsr2d2]

I want to make sure that if I [STRIKE]would[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]say[/STRIKE] said:

1. Of course we want to go back some day.
2. Of course we want to return some day.
3. Of course we want to come back some day.

[STRIKE]it[/STRIKE] ... they would all be correct and mean the same.

See my changes above. They're all correct. They don't mean the same because "go back" doesn't mean the same as "come back".