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Hello...What is the difference between these two?a. They went back out to the car.b. They went out back to the car.I feel like the means are like below.This needs some verification from native English. *****a. means, “They had been out before and then went in, and then came out and went to the car.”.b. means, “The had been in/around the car before and they came out and returned to the car where they had been before.”

Fivejedjon · Accepted Answer

pructus They went back out to the car.

Having come in from the car, they returned to it.

pructusThey went out back to the car.

They went to the car, which was in the back yard.

Pructus · Answer

I see.... I see....
Thanks so much, fivejedjon!!

And also thanks to you Blue Jay for the verification!!

By the way...

They went out back to the car.

They went to the car, which was in the back yard.

Here, can't the "back" mean "again" not physical meaning "backyard"?

Fivejedjon · Answer

pructus They went out back to the car.They went to the car, which was in the back yard. Here, can't the "back" mean "again" not physical meaning "backyard"?

It's not impossible, but there would be a clear pause after 'out' in speech, and a comma in writing.

Pructus · Answer

Oh, I see.... I see....
That really helps...
Thanks so much, fivejedjon!!

Pructus · Answer

I googled with "went out back to the" and found some...
Among them are as below...

We still went out, back to the way we were, love birds.
********

This one is using comma, as you explained.

But the others didn’t as below...
Then, I guess we need to think that comma is omitted?
Because there doesn’t seem to be some grounds to think that “back” here means “backyard”?

If so, then the rule is "comma" is necessary in writing and "pause" in speaking, but in writing, commas are sometimes omitted?

************

After a wonderful breakfast, I went out back to the porch.

The next day I went out back to the garden while Avarda was out there working.

Levitt was unfazed and went out back to the streets in the 70's to start all over again.

After a light meal, we returned to the hotel packed our bags and went out back to the hotel.

I went out back to the absolutely fabulous deck that I could probably spend hours drinking and eating on if I lived close by.

At the house, Lewin and Micah went out back to the trampoline, the way they always did whenever it was warm enough.

Fivejedjon · Answer

pructusAfter a wonderful breakfast, I went out back to the porch.The next day I went out back to the garden while Avarda was out there working.Levitt was unfazed and went out back to the streets in the 70's to start all over again.After a light meal, we returned to the hotel packed our bags and went out back to the hotel.I went out back to the absolutely fabulous deck that I could probably spend hours drinking and eating on if I lived close by.At the house, Lewin and Micah went out back to the trampoline, the way they always did whenever it was warm enough.

I'd say that in all except the one I've underlined 'out back' could be taken to mean 'out of the house to the area behind it'. In the 'Levitt' sentence, I'd use a comma. The 'light meal' sentence does not make sense to me,. If they packed their bags after returning to the hotel, I don't see how they 'went out back to the hotel',

Pructus · Answer

Thanks so much again, fivejedjon!!
Other parts are all clear to me...

One part still unclear is....

With your explanations, I guess"I went out back to the porch." means "I went out to the place behind the porch".

Fivejedjon · Answer

No. The speaker went out through the back door to the porch.

Pructus · Answer

Oh, I see... I see...
Now it's all clear...
Thanks so much for the crystal clear explanations, fivejedjon!!

Pructus · Answer

Hello again, fivejedjon....

This is so confusing to a non-native....

a. They went back out to the car. = b. Having come in from the car, they returned to it.

*************

As a non-native, it’s so difficult to get the grasp of this kind of subtle usage of back and out.

To my sense, the sentence seems to be in the structure “They went back out, to the car”

So, to my sense, nothing in the a. seem to be pointing to the meaning “Having come in from the car”.
To me, it feels like "Having come in from some place outside".

To native speakers, what makes them see the construction of b. in the a.?

Probably, “They went, back out to the car”?

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