Question

Updated on 3 Feb 2023

HectorABC

3 February

Greek

English (US)

Question about English (US)

What is the difference between She looked back at me. and She looked at me again. ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

Answers

Loren__

3 February

English (US)

Back = again

Looked = only once

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ElliePerez2234

3 February

English (US)

She looked back at me would mean she tilted her head or turned around to look at u and She looked at me again would mean shes continuously looking at u

newenglandgenie

3 February

English (US)

She looked at me again means she looked at me a second time (after she first looked at me)
She looked back at me can mean two things: 1) she turned around to look at me or 2) she returned my look

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HectorABC

3 February

Greek

@newenglandgenie Can't "look back at" also mean look again at what you were looking before?

newenglandgenie

3 February

English (US)

@HectorABC Yes, that’s what “she returned my look” means.

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HectorABC

3 February

Greek

@newenglandgenie So both options mean the same in my original question?

newenglandgenie

3 February

English (US)

@HectorABC

There’s a subtle difference between the two.

I told her I didn’t love her. She looked back at me in disbelief.
She returned my look and didn’t believe me.

I told her I didn’t love her. She looked at me again as if she didn’t believe me.
She stopped looking at me, turned away briefly and moved her head to look at me again.

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HectorABC

3 February

Greek

@newenglandgenie Is there a difference between these?
1. I looked up at the sky, then I looked back at her.
2. I looked up at the sky, then I looked at her again.

newenglandgenie

3 February

English (US)

1 can mean two things a) After looking at the sky, I looked behind me to see her. OR b) After looking at the sky, I looked at her a second time [after previously looking at her]

2 can mean only one thing: After looking at the sky, I looked at her for a second time

With “look back at her” you can tell which one the speaker or writer means by the situation and context.

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What is the difference between She looked back at me. and She looked at me again. ?

What is the difference between She looked back at me. and She looked at me again. ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

Back = again Looked = only once

She looked back at me would mean she tilted her head or turned around to look at u and She looked at me again would mean shes continuously looking at u

She looked at me again means she looked at me a second time (after she first looked at me)She looked back at me can mean two things: 1) she turned around to look at me or 2) she returned my look

@HectorABC Yes, that’s what “she returned my look” means.

Back = again

Looked = only once

She looked at me again means she looked at me a second time (after she first looked at me)
She looked back at me can mean two things: 1) she turned around to look at me or 2) she returned my look