Particle guide
Phrasal verbs with back
The particle back starts from one core idea — returning motion. Sink In groups its verbs by the recurring ways that idea plays out, so verbs that look unrelated line up into patterns.
72 phrasal verbs · 5 meaning groups
Return
A person, thing, message, or idea returns to an earlier place, person, or time.
Returning Action
The action returns to the person who did it first.
Distance
Back creates distance or reduces progress. The change can affect a place, position, amount, promise, or plan.
Holding
Something is prevented from moving, growing, or being expressed. It can also remain available as a backup.
Normal Again
Something returns to an earlier state.
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice the back patterns in Sink In
The app turns each meaning group into short review cards: recognition, particle cloze, meaning-to-particle recall, and schema matching.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
