Phrasal Verb: Come across

Phrasal verbs are like small teams. Two words work together to make one new meaning. Come is a basic verb. Across is a preposition. Together, they mean "to find unexpectedly." This is a "transitive" phrasal verb. That means it always needs an object. You must find *something* or *someone*. This verb is also "inseparable." This is a fancy way to say you cannot split them. You cannot put the object in the middle. They are like best friends who never leave each other. If you try to separate them, the sentence breaks. It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means keep them together. Red means do not split them up. Even native speakers sometimes pause here, so do not worry!

1. 1Start with your subject. This is the person who finds something.
2. 2Add the verb come. Remember to change the tense if needed.
3. 3Add the word across immediately after.
4. 4Finish with the object. This is the thing or person you found.
5. 5For the present tense: I come across or She comes across.
6. 6For the past tense: I came across.
7. 7For the future: I will come across.
8. 8Example: I (subject) + came across (verb) + an old photo (object).
9. 9It is a straight line. No jumping around!

Use this when you find a lost item while cleaning. Imagine you are tidying your room. You move a box. Suddenly, you see your old toy. You came across your toy! Use it when you are walking in the city. You see a beautiful cafe you never knew about. You come across the cafe. It is also great for the internet. You are scrolling through social media. You see a very interesting article. You come across the article. You can also use it for people. If you see your teacher at the supermarket, you come across them. It was not a plan. It was a coincidence. Finally, you can use it for impressions. "He comes across as nice." This means he *seems* nice to you. It is how people see him.

Do not use this for planned meetings. If you have a coffee date at 5 PM, do not use it. You did not come across your friend. You met them. Do not use it when you are actively searching. If you lose your keys, you look for them. You only come across them if you stop looking and find them later. It is all about the surprise factor. If there is no surprise, this verb feels wrong. Also, do not use it for physical movement across a bridge. That is just the verb come plus the direction. Come across as a phrasal verb is about discovery. If you are just walking across a street, just say "I am crossing the street."

Many people try to split the words. They say I came the book across. This is a big mistake. Always keep come and across side by side. Another mistake is using it for intentional acts. "I will come across my keys now." This is impossible. You cannot plan a surprise for yourself! Think of it like a birthday party. You cannot throw a surprise party for yourself and be surprised. Also, watch your tenses. Many learners forget that come becomes came in the past. "Yesterday I come across a dog" is wrong. Use came for yesterday. It is a small change but it makes a big difference. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are tired!

Compare come across with find. Find is a general word. You can find things on purpose or by accident. Come across is *only* by accident. It is more specific. Compare it with run into. Run into is usually for people. You run into a friend. You can come across a friend or an object. Come across is more flexible. Compare it with look for. Look for is the process. Come across is the result. It is like the difference between a journey and the destination. One is the work, the other is the reward.