Learn 14 useful expressions with come that you can use in everyday conversations and, in some cases, at work.
The verb come is very common in English, but its meaning changes when it becomes part of a fixed expression. If someone says come to grips with something, come a long way or take things as they come, they’re not talking about physically coming towards a place.
In this lesson, I’ll explain what these expressions mean, show you how to use them in natural sentences and point out which ones are particularly useful in workplace English.
14 useful expressions with come
Watch the lesson first if you prefer to learn by listening, or continue with the written examples below.
14 useful expressions with come
You don’t need to learn all 14 at once. Choose a few that fit the conversations you actually have and practise using them in your own sentences.
1Come to your senses
Meaning: to start thinking clearly or sensibly after behaving in a way that seems unreasonable, emotional or unwise. You might use it when someone has made a quick decision and you hope they’ll reconsider it.
ExamplesTake some time to think it through. Hopefully, you’ll come to your senses and realise that leaving now isn’t a good idea.
He was determined to resign after the argument, but he eventually came to his senses and decided to wait.
She finally came to her senses and admitted that the plan was far too expensive.
Be careful with this one. Come to your senses can sound quite critical — you’re suggesting the other person hasn’t been thinking sensibly. It’s fine with friends or family in the right situation, but I wouldn’t normally use it with a manager, client or someone you don’t know well.
2Come to grips with something
Meaning: to begin to understand, accept or deal successfully with something difficult. A very useful expression in both everyday and Business English.
ExamplesIt took him several months to come to grips with losing his job.
She’s still trying to come to grips with all the changes that have happened this year.
The team is still coming to grips with the new reporting system.
It took us a few weeks to come to grips with the new regulations, but things are much clearer now.
The structurecome to grips with + noun
We need to come to grips with the problem.
She’s coming to grips with her new responsibilities.
3Here comes…
Meaning: used when you notice that someone or something is arriving, approaching or about to happen. It’s particularly common in spoken English.
ExamplesHere comes the bus. We’d better get ready.
When my grandchildren walk through the door shouting and running around, I sometimes think, Here comes trouble!
Here comes the rain. I knew we should have brought an umbrella.
More figurativelyHere comes the difficult part.
Here comes another busy week.
4Come open, come undone, come loose
We can use come + adjective or past participle when something changes from one state to another.
Come loose · no longer firmly fixedThe screw has come loose again. We’ll have to tighten it.
One of the handles came loose while I was carrying the box.
Come undone · something fastened has become unfastenedMy shoelace has come undone.
One of the straps came undone during the journey.
Come open · something closed has opened unexpectedlyThe bag came open while I was carrying it.
The roof box came open while they were driving, so they had to stop.
These are simple expressions, but they’re very useful when you need to describe exactly what happened.
5Come and go
Meaning: to appear or be present for a period of time and then disappear or leave. This may happen repeatedly.
ExamplesThe pain comes and goes. Some days I hardly notice it.
Fashions come and go, but some styles never really disappear.
People come and go in this industry. It’s unusual to find someone who has worked in the same company for thirty years.
Staff tend to come and go quite frequently in that department.
You can use this for people, feelings, problems, fashions and many other things that are temporary or change over time.
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6Come of age
Meaning: the traditional meaning is to reach adulthood.
ExamplesWhen he came of age, he became responsible for managing the money himself.
The story follows a young woman as she comes of age and begins making her own decisions.
Come of age can also be used figuratively, when something becomes fully developed or mature.
Figurative examplesThe technology has finally come of age.
Online banking really came of age when people became comfortable managing their finances on their phones.
This second meaning is useful when you’re talking about technology, industries, ideas or developments.
7Come a long way
Meaning: to make a lot of progress or improve significantly over time. One of the most useful expressions with come, because you can use it for people, skills, technology, projects and organisations.
ExamplesYour English has come a long way since we started working together.
Technology has come a long way since the days of pagers and early mobile phones.
She’s come a long way since she first joined the company.
The project has come a long way since the first draft.
We’ve come a long way, but there are still a few issues we need to solve before the launch.
At work, this is a natural way to recognise progress without suggesting that everything is finished.
8Come clean
Meaning: to admit the truth about something you’ve been hiding or haven’t been completely honest about.
ExamplesEventually, he came clean and admitted that he had broken the window.
Sarah finally came clean about what had really happened.
He decided to come clean about why he had missed the deadline.
I need to come clean about the figures in yesterday’s report. I used the wrong version of the spreadsheet.
Use this carefully at work. Come clean suggests that someone has hidden information or avoided telling the truth. If you’ve simply made a mistake, you don’t necessarily need such a strong expression.
- Instead ofI need to come clean about the report.You might sayI need to correct something in the report I sent yesterday.
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Book a trial lesson →9Have it coming / get what’s coming to you
Meaning: to deserve an unpleasant consequence because of the way you’ve behaved. You’ll often hear have it coming or get what’s coming to you.
ExamplesAfter the way he treated everyone, nobody was particularly surprised when they stopped helping him. He had it coming.
If he keeps behaving like that, sooner or later he’ll get what’s coming to him.
She’d ignored every warning they gave her, so some people felt she had it coming.
This is quite a strong and judgemental expression. You may hear it in everyday conversation, films and television, but it’s generally not something I’d recommend saying about a colleague or manager at work.
10Come to life
Meaning: to become active, lively, interesting or full of energy.
ExamplesThe city really comes to life on Friday evening.
The garden comes to life again in spring.
He looked half asleep all morning, but he came to life as soon as someone mentioned football.
Ideas, presentations & projectsThe presentation really came to life when she added the customer stories.
The design started to come to life once we saw the first working version.
This makes come to life particularly useful when you’re talking about creative work, presentations and projects.
11Come to pass
Meaning: to happen, particularly something that was predicted, expected or imagined. This expression is correct English, but it sounds quite formal or literary — you’re more likely to see it in writing than hear it in an ordinary conversation at work.
ExamplesHis prediction eventually came to pass.
Many of the changes they had expected eventually came to pass.
She had always believed she would return to live there one day, and eventually it came to pass.
In normal conversation, we would often simply use happen: Everything they predicted eventually happened. So learn come to pass because you may come across it, but you don’t need to force it into everyday conversation.
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12The best is yet to come / the worst is yet to come
Meaning: the best or most difficult part of a situation is still in the future.
ExamplesShe’s only at the beginning of her career. I think the best is yet to come.
The team has already produced some excellent work, but the best may be yet to come.
We’ve had a difficult few months, and unfortunately, the worst may be yet to come.
The first stage of the project was difficult, but we knew the most complicated part was still to come.
The best is yet to come is generally optimistic. The worst is yet to come is a warning that the situation may become more difficult.
13Take things as they come
Meaning: to deal with situations when they happen instead of worrying too much about everything that might happen in the future. You’ll also hear take it as it comes, take each day as it comes and take each problem as it comes.
ExamplesThere’s no point worrying about every possible problem now. We’ll take things as they come.
After the operation, he decided to take each day as it came.
We have a plan, but we’ll deal with any unexpected problems as they come.
We can’t predict every issue before the project starts. We’ll take each one as it comes.
This is useful when you have prepared as much as you reasonably can and will deal with new situations when they appear.
14Not know whether you’re coming or going
Meaning: to feel confused, disorganised or overwhelmed because you’re extremely busy or have too many things happening at the same time.
ExamplesI’ve had such a busy week that I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.
Between work, the children and getting ready for the holiday, she doesn’t know whether she’s coming or going.
I’ve got three deadlines, two meetings and a client call this afternoon. I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.
Have you seen Mark lately? He’s so busy that he barely knows whether he’s coming or going.
This is informal, conversational English. It sounds natural with colleagues you know, but it wouldn’t normally belong in a formal report or presentation.
Which expressions with come can you use at work?
Quite a few of these expressions are useful in Business English, but knowing the meaning isn’t enough. You also need to know whether the tone fits the situation. Here are some of the safest ones for normal workplace conversations.
| Expression | Example at work | Use it when… |
|---|---|---|
| Come to grips with something | We’re still coming to grips with the new system. | a team is learning how to deal with something complicated or unfamiliar. |
| Come and go | People tend to come and go quite quickly in this industry. | talking about staff, trends, problems or changes that aren’t permanent. |
| Come a long way | The project has come a long way since January. | you want to recognise progress. |
| Come to life | The proposal really came to life once we added the customer data. | an idea, presentation, design or project becomes clearer or more interesting. |
| The best is yet to come | We’ve had a good first quarter, but I think the best is yet to come. | you want to express optimism about future results. |
| Take things as they come | We’ve prepared for the main risks. We’ll take any other issues as they come. | you mean that you’ll deal with unexpected situations when they happen. |
| Not know whether you’re coming or going | I’ve got so much on this week that I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. | you’re speaking informally with colleagues and you’re extremely busy. |
- Come to your senses can sound as if you think the other person is being foolish.
- Come clean suggests that somebody has been hiding something.
- Have it coming sounds judgemental and can be quite hostile.
- Come to pass is formal and old-fashioned for most ordinary workplace conversations.
That’s why learning vocabulary isn’t only about knowing the dictionary meaning. You also need to know who you can say it to and in what situation.
Common mistakes with expressions using come
Come to grips WITH something
Don’t forget with.
- IncorrectWe need to come to grips the problem.CorrectWe need to come to grips with the problem.
Come a long way
- NotThe project has come a far way.SayThe project has come a long way.
Come clean ABOUT something
If you mention the subject, use about.
- He finally came clean about the mistake.
- She came clean about what had happened.
Take things as they come
A very common form is We’ll take things as they come. You can also make the noun more specific:
- We’ll take each problem as it comes.
- We’ll take each day as it comes.
Came loose, came undone, came open
Remember that the verb changes tense normally.
- The screw came loose yesterday.
- My shoelace has come undone again.
- The bag came open while I was carrying it.
Come to pass
Don’t assume that an advanced expression is always better than a simple verb. Come to pass is correct, but in most ordinary conversations happen sounds more natural.
Your turnPractise these English expressions with come
Choose the best expression for each sentence. Try each one yourself first, then open the answers to check.
Choose from come a long way · come clean · come to grips with · came to life · take things as they come · don’t know whether I’m coming or going · come and go · the best is yet to come
- We’ve made a lot of progress since the first version. We’ve really __________.
- I need to __________ about what happened yesterday. I sent the wrong figures.
- It took the new team several weeks to __________ the software.
- The presentation really __________ when Maria added the customer examples.
- We can’t prepare for every possible problem. We’ll __________.
- I’ve got four meetings today and two deadlines tomorrow. I __________.
- Trends __________, so I wouldn’t redesign the whole product because of one fashionable idea.
- The first results are encouraging, but I think __________.
Show the answers
- We’ve really come a long way.
- I need to come clean about what happened yesterday.
- It took the new team several weeks to come to grips with the software.
- The presentation really came to life when Maria added the customer examples.
- We’ll take things as they come.
- I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.
- Trends come and go.
- I think the best is yet to come.
Now change three of the sentences so they describe your own life or work. That’s much more useful than simply reading the expressions and hoping you’ll remember them.
Common questionsFrequently asked questions
What are some common expressions with come?
Common expressions include come to grips with something, come a long way, come clean, come to life, come and go, take things as they come and not know whether you’re coming or going.
They don’t all have the literal meaning of moving towards a person or place. It’s better to learn the complete expression rather than translate the word come on its own.
Is “come to grips with” useful in Business English?
Yes. It’s natural when you’re talking about understanding or dealing with something difficult.
We’re still coming to grips with the new regulations. / It took the team a while to come to grips with the new software.
Is “come to your senses” rude?
It can be. You’re suggesting that the other person isn’t thinking sensibly.
It may be fine with friends or family, but be careful using it with colleagues and avoid it with clients or senior people unless your relationship makes the tone completely clear.
Is “come to pass” common in everyday English?
It exists and you’ll see it in writing, but it sounds formal or literary in modern everyday English.
In normal conversation, happen is usually more natural.
What’s the difference between “take it as it comes” and “take things as they come”?
The meaning is very similar. Take it as it comes normally refers to one situation:
We don’t know what will happen next, so we’ll take it as it comes.
Take things as they come is more general:
I try not to worry too far ahead. I take things as they come.
Are all expressions with come phrasal verbs?
No. Some combinations with come are phrasal verbs, while others are idioms, fixed expressions or common verb patterns. For example, come to grips with something and the best is yet to come are best learnt as complete expressions.
If your goal is to speak more naturally, the label isn’t the most important part. Learn the whole expression, its meaning and a sentence showing how it’s actually used.
How can I remember these expressions?
Don’t try to memorise all 14 at once. Choose three or four that you can imagine using. Write one sentence about your own life or work for each one.
Say the sentences aloud, then try to use the expressions again during the week. That gives you a much better chance of remembering them when you actually need them.
Quick summary
Here are all 14 expressions again with their meanings.
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come to your senses | start thinking sensibly again |
| come to grips with something | begin to understand or deal with something difficult |
| here comes… | something or someone is arriving or about to happen |
| come open / undone / loose | change from a closed, fastened or secure state |
| come and go | appear for a time and then disappear or leave |
| come of age | reach adulthood or full development |
| come a long way | make significant progress |
| come clean | admit the truth after hiding something |
| have it coming | deserve an unpleasant consequence |
| come to life | become lively, active or interesting |
| come to pass | happen, usually in more formal or literary English |
| the best / worst is yet to come | the best or hardest part is still in the future |
| take things as they come | deal with situations when they happen |
| not know whether you’re coming or going | feel confused because you’re extremely busy |
The important thing is not to collect as many advanced English expressions as possible. Use the ones that fit the way you actually speak.
Choose three from this lesson, make your own examples and start with those.
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Book your trial lesson →Listen to the lesson
This lesson is also available as Episode 508 of Speak Better English with Harry. Listen after reading the examples and notice how the expressions sound in complete sentences. Episode 508 was originally published on 6 November 2024.
Prefer Spotify? Search for Speak Better English with Harry, Episode 508, and listen while you’re travelling, walking or practising your listening.
Related English lessons
If this lesson was useful, these will help you build more natural, useful English.
- 50 Essential Phrasal Verbs for ESL Learners Use it when you want to learn more common phrasal verbs, including useful combinations with come, with clear meanings and examples.
- Advanced Expressions With Take Use it when you want another vocabulary lesson built around a common English verb, with fixed expressions you can use in conversation.
- 39 Natural English Phrases for Better Communication Use it when you want practical English for work conversations, including changing plans, explaining problems and giving yourself time to think.
- English Phrases for Meetings Use it when you need practical Business English for joining a discussion, asking for clarification, giving your opinion, disagreeing carefully and checking next steps.