Meaning
- To return a phone call.
- To request that someone come back to a place, for work or an audition.
- To bring something back to memory.
Today's Sentences
01
I meant to call you back.
Situation
Hey, I tried calling you yesterday, but you didn’t pick up.
I meant to call you back, sorry.
No worries, I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out this weekend.
Definitely!
Let’s call each other tonight so we can set a time.
02
I might get a call back next week.
Situation
So, how did your audition go yesterday?
Pretty good!
They said I might get a call back next week.
That’s amazing!
A call back means they really liked you.
It’ll probably be for the final round.
Fingers crossed!
Writer's Note
"Call back" is an intransitive, transitive, inseparable, and separable phrasal verb. Let’s go over the breakdown together.
- Intransitive - You may be able to tell if the sentence is Intransitive if no object is mentioned, just the action.
Structure - "Subject + call back"
Example 1: He said he would call back later.
Example 2: I’ll call back as soon as I can.
Example 3: She never called back, so I left another message. - Transitive - Requires a direct object and follows this rule "verb + particle + object".
Structure - "Subject + call back + object"
Example 1: This song calls back memories of my childhood.
Example 2: The smell of fresh bread called back her grandmother’s kitchen.
Example 3: His stories called back the old days. - Inseparable - Means that the phrasal verb must stay together.
Structure - "Subject + call back + object"
Example 1: The director called back three actors for a second audition.
Example 2: The called back the employees to finish the urgent task.
Example 3: The soldier was called back to active duty. - Separable - The phrasal verb is separable because the object (especially pronouns like me, you, him) must go in the middle.
Structure - "Subject + call + object + back"
Example 1: I’ll call you back after the meeting.
Example 2: She promised to call him back later.
Example 3: Could you call me back in ten minutes?
Related Words: Answer, recall, recollect, remember, return, ring back, summon
