Kirk Mahoney . com

I have posted to this blog a few times about words that start with the “re-” prefix.

Here are some examples:

• “return”
• “respond”
• “reply”

A common English blunder these days is to add “back” after any of the “re-” verbs.

The reason that it’s a blunder is that the “re-” prefix in these verbs means back.

The other meaning of the “re-” prefix is again or anew.

Unless you know that you are dealing with an again or anew instance, it is safest to avoid putting “back” after a “re-” verb.