Come

Come describing movement

We usually use come to talk about movement from the listener to the speaker or from the speaker to the listener.

Can you come to my office? I need to show you something.

Shall I come to your place at 8 pm?

We also use come to talk about movement from another place to the place where the speaker or listener is:

Rosie is going to come to you on Friday if that’s okay. (a third person moves to the listener)

A man came to my door last night selling pictures. (another person moved to the speaker)

Come is also used with the meaning of ‘accompanying the speaker or listener to a place’:

Are you coming with us to the beach this afternoon?

A:
I’m going for some lunch. Are youcoming?

B:
Yeah, why not.

We can use come to mean ‘arrive’:

Has the post come yet?

Flavio came about an hour ago but Tom isn’t here yet.

When we talk about an event which happens because someone comes to a particular place, we use come and:

Would you like to come and have dinner with us one day next week?

When we simply express someone’s intention or purpose in coming to a place, we use come to:

He came to apologise, but she wouldn’t speak to him. (it was his intention to apologise)

Spoken English:

How come? is used informally to mean ‘why’:

A:
How about lunch at 1 pm?

B:
Not today, I’m afraid.

A:
How come?

B:
I’ve got a big meeting this afternoon and I need to prepare for it.