When you find something or meet someone unexpectedly, you can say you come across them.
The idea
In neutral everyday English, put a noun or pronoun after come across: come across a map or come across it. The past is came across.
Examples
- I came across an old map in the attic.
- Maya came across her former teacher at the market.
- We came across a quiet café while exploring the neighbourhood.
- If you come across my notebook, please let me know.
- Leo came across it while sorting the photographs.
- Have you ever come across a recipe like this?
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Watch out
Do not say come it across: the two words stay together. A chance discovery is not necessarily a deliberate search.
Try it yourself
Choose the correct option. I ___ across a useful article yesterday. (came / come)
Show answer or example answer
came
came places the discovery yesterday.
Choose the correct option. They came ___ an old friend on the train. (across / after)
Show answer or example answer
across
across completes the expression for an unexpected meeting.
Choose the correct option. Have you come across ___ before? (her / she)
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her
her is the object pronoun referring to the person encountered.
Practice round
Answer questions and rebuild English sentences to practise. Your score is shown.
Choose the correct option. I ___ across a useful article yesterday. (came / come)
Choose the correct option. They came ___ an old friend on the train. (across / after)
Choose the correct option. Have you come across ___ before? (her / she)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Describe something or someone you came across unexpectedly.