carry back and forth

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "carry back and forth" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the action of transporting something repeatedly between two places. Example: "She had to carry back and forth the heavy boxes from the car to the house."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

And yes, Zoe and Ella also have "unbreakable plastic soap dishes" ($1.49 apiece at Camp Connection) to carry back and forth to their disposable, four-drawer cardboard dressers.

The New York Times - Tech

And if they work for families, small compact computers are a god send for students who need something they carry back and forth to university for researching and writing assignments, producing presentations and, time permitting of course, keeping up-to-date on social networks.

The Guardian - Money

Put items that you do not need to carry back and forth in folders and leave them at home once you have taken them out.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The heavy sensors must be carried back and forth across a field, then carried back to an office, where magnetic data is synthesized with GPS data to make maps.

MIT Technology Review

At the South Ferry terminal, where workers were carried back and forth on the power boats Augie and Lisa Ann, a 7-year-old boy waited for his father to come back from working at Liberty Island.

The New York Times

Some art is at its best in a museum, and some is at its best on a hill, and some is at its best being worn or carried back and forth to the fields, and some is at its best in the home of the artist who made it, or in the homes of his friends.

The New York Times - Magazine

Cells achieve this via a process called intraflagellar transport, in which proteins are carried back and forth by kinesin and dynein motors along the axonemal doublet microtubules.

eLife

"I used to carry them back and forth to class with me".

The New York Times

Don't ask the children to carry messages back and forth.

The New York Times

"All I do is carry messages back and forth, which isn't a crime.

The New Yorker

Everyone was yelling on the floor and I had to carry messages back and forth and not screw up.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "carry back and forth" when you want to emphasize the repeated nature of transporting something between two specific locations. It's particularly effective when describing a regular or necessary action.

Common error

Avoid using passive voice constructions that obscure who or what is doing the carrying. For example, instead of "The supplies were carried back and forth", specify who or what is performing the action: "The workers carried the supplies back and forth."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "carry back and forth" functions primarily as a verb phrase, describing a repetitive action of transporting something between two points. As noted by Ludwig AI, it indicates the act of moving something from one place to another and then returning it.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Science

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "carry back and forth" is a grammatically correct verb phrase used to describe the action of repeatedly transporting something between two locations. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is suitable for use in written English. Although relatively uncommon, it appears in various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. To enhance clarity, ensure the agent performing the carrying is clearly identified. For alternatives, consider phrases like "transport to and fro" or "move back and forth", depending on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

move back and forth

A general term for repeated movement, less specific about the means of transport.

transport to and fro

A more formal way to describe moving something repeatedly between two places.

convey to and fro

A formal term for transporting something back and forth.

shuttle to and fro

Emphasizes a regular, repeated movement between two locations, implying a service or system.

ferry between

Suggests transportation across a body of water or a specific route.

bring and return repeatedly

Highlights the repeated action of bringing something and then taking it back.

haul back and forth

Implies a laborious or strenuous effort in moving something.

shlep back and forth

An informal term suggesting a cumbersome or annoying task of repeatedly carrying something.

ply between

Describes a vessel or vehicle traveling regularly between two places.

relay between

Suggests a series of people or objects passing something from one to another between two points.

FAQs

How can I use "carry back and forth" in a sentence?

You can use "carry back and forth" to describe the repeated transportation of items, like: "She had to carry back and forth the equipment between the lab and the field site all day".

What's a more formal alternative to "carry back and forth"?

A more formal alternative to "carry back and forth" is "transport to and fro", which implies a more official or logistical operation.

Is it correct to say "carried back and forth" or "carry back and forth"?

Both "carried back and forth" and "carry back and forth" are correct, but "carried" is the past tense of "carry". Use "carry" in the present tense and "carried" in the past.

How does "carry back and forth" differ from "move back and forth"?

"Carry back and forth" implies physical transportation by someone or something, whereas "move back and forth" is a more general term for any repeated movement.