Basic Details
Word: Return
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To come or go back to a place, or to give something back to the person it belongs to.
Synonyms: come back, give back, restore
Antonyms: leave, depart, keep
How to Spell Return
Syllables: re - turn
Tricky part: The second part is turn, spelt ur. Because the sound is like the er in her, many students write retern.
Watch out for: retern, retrun, returne
Memory tip: You turn round to come back, so the word is just re + turn. If you can spell turn, you can spell return.
Idioms and Phrases
- the point of no return: a stage after which you cannot go back or change your mind Example: "Once the plane left the runway, we had reached the point of no return."
Usage Examples
Example 1: We will return from Shimla on Sunday night.
Example 2: Could you return my geometry box after the test?
Example 3: The swallows return to the same nest every spring.
Fun Fact
On old typewriters, a lever called the carriage return moved the paper back to the start of a line. That is why the Enter key on many computer keyboards is still called Return.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the prefix that completes the word:
turn
a) pre
b) de
c) re
d) mis
Show answer
c) re. Re means back, and to return is to turn back or come back.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Please retern the library books before the summer holidays begin.
a) holidays
b) library
c) summer
d) retern
Show answer
d) retern. The second half is the word turn, so it needs u r.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word: return
a) revisit
b) depart
c) recover
d) come back
Show answer
b) depart. To depart is to go away, while to return is to come back.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. If you return a favour, you ____.
a) do something kind for someone who helped you
b) refuse any help
c) ask for a bigger favour
d) forget the person who helped you
Show answer
a) do something kind for someone who helped you
2. Which word fits best? The postman will ____ the letter because the address is wrong.
a) retire
b) repeat
c) return
d) reply
Show answer
c) return
