Call back means to phone someone who called you when you couldn't answer, or to phone again later. A pronoun always goes between “call” and “back”: “call me back”. A name usually does too: “call Anna back”.
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call + person + back; call back later/tomorrow; call back about + topic
- The signal on the train is terrible, so I'll call you back when I get home.
- I left a message for the landlord two days ago, but he still hasn't called me back.
- The office is closed for lunch, so please call back after two o'clock.
What changed
First versionI'm driving now, so I'll recall you in ten minutes.
RevisionI'm driving now, so I'll call you back in ten minutes.
The prefix re- often means “again”, so “recall” can look like “call again”. But “recall” means to remember, or to ask for something to be returned, such as a faulty product. To return a call, use “call back”: I'll call you back.
“Back” shows that the call answers an earlier one or repeats it. If you are calling someone first, you do not need “back”: I'll call the bank tomorrow. In British English, “call back” can also mean to visit again: The plumber said he'd call back on Friday to finish the job.
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I'm in a meeting right now. Can I ___ in half an hour?
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call you back — The pronoun goes between “call” and “back”: “call you back”. “Call back you” puts the pronoun at the end, and English does not allow that with this phrase.
Write a message to someone whose call you couldn't answer. Explain why you didn't answer and say when you will call back.
I couldn't answer because I was at the dentist, but I'll call you back at about six.
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