Phrasal verb with bring: Common meanings, example sentences and how to use them correctly

A phrasal verb with bring combines bring with a particle such as up, about, back or out, and the new phrase often means something different from carrying an object to a place. Bring up can mean to raise a child or to mention a topic, bring about means to cause something, and bring in can describe earning money or introducing a rule. Because the particle changes the meaning each time, learners find it useful to study these verbs in groups.

This article explains the common phrasal verb with bring, their meanings and example sentences, the word order rule for objects, the difference between bring, take and fetch, and typical mistakes, followed by exercises with answers.

What phrasal verb with bring are and how the particle changes the meaning

The basic meaning of bring when it is used on its own

On its own, bring means to carry or take something to the place where the speaker or listener is, or to a place being discussed. Please bring your passport to the interview.

How a phrasal verb with bring is formed

A phrasal verb with bring is made of bring plus a particle, and the particle changes the meaning. Compare bring a book (carry it) with bring up a problem (mention it) and bring down a price (reduce it).

Examples: bring + up = raise or mention. bring + about = cause. bring + back = return or recall.

Common phrasal verb with bring: A quick reference table

Bring up: Raising children, mentioning topics and other meanings

Bring up meaning to raise a child

In this meaning, bring up is often used in the passive, because the emphasis is on the person who was raised.

Examples: She was brought up in a small village. They brought up three children on one salary.

Bring up meaning to mention a topic

Examples: I didn’t want to bring up the subject of money. Who brought up this idea?

Bring up meaning to display on a screen

In technology contexts, bring up means to make something appear on a screen: Can you bring up the report on the screen?

Bring up compared with grow up

Bring up needs an object or the passive, but grow up does not. She grew up in Paris is active and has no object, while She was brought up in Paris is passive.

Bring about, bring back, bring down, bring in and bring out: Five common phrasal verb

Bring about: Causing something to happen

Bring about is slightly formal and is used for changes and results.

Examples: The invention of the internet brought about a revolution in communication. Careful planning can bring about success.

Bring back: Returning something or recalling a memory

Examples: Remember to bring back my umbrella. The smell of the sea brought back memories of my childhood.

Bring down: Reducing or causing to fall

Examples: The government wants to bring down the cost of living. The news brought me down. The second example means that the news made the speaker sad, which is an informal use.

Bring in: Introducing, earning or involving

Examples: The council is bringing in new parking rules. The shop brings in about two thousand pounds a week. They brought in an expert to solve the problem.

Bring out: Publishing, releasing or revealing

Examples: The company will bring out a new phone next spring. Hard work brought out her talent.

Bring on, bring along, bring together, bring forward and bring round: Other useful verbs

Bring on: Causing an illness, a feeling or a reaction

Bring on means to cause something, usually unpleasant, such as an illness: The cold weather brought on his cough.

Bring along: Taking a person or thing with you

Bring along means to bring someone or something with you: Feel free to bring your family along.

Bring together: Uniting people or gathering things

Bring together means to unite or gather people or things: The project brought together teachers from many countries.

Bring forward: Moving an event earlier or proposing an idea

Bring forward means to move an event to an earlier time, or to propose something: They had to bring the deadline forward. She brought forward an interesting suggestion.

Bring round: Reviving someone or persuading them to agree

Bring round (or bring around in American English) can mean to help someone become conscious again or to persuade someone to agree: The paramedic brought him round. I finally brought her round to my point of view.

Bring oneself to: Forcing yourself to do something unpleasant

Bring oneself to means to force yourself to do something unpleasant: I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth.

Separable phrasal verb with bring: Where the object goes

Many common phrasal verb with bring are separable. This means a noun object can go before or after the particle, but a pronoun object must go between bring and the particle.

Examples: She brought up the problem. / She brought the problem up. She brought it up. (not “She brought up it.”)

Bring, take and fetch: Which verb should you use?

Learners sometimes confuse bring with take and fetch.

The choice depends on where the speaker or listener is. If the movement is toward the speaker or listener, use bring, and if it is away from them, use take.

Common mistakes with phrasal verb with bring and how to fix them

• Putting a pronoun after the particle. Writing She brought up it instead of She brought it up.
• Confusing bring and take. Writing Bring this to the post office on your way home when the movement is away from the speaker, which needs take.
• Forgetting the passive with bring up. Writing She brought up in London instead of She was brought up in London.
• Choosing the wrong particle. Writing The law brought up a big change when you mean The law brought about a big change.
• Forgetting the reflexive pronoun. Writing I couldn’t bring to tell her instead of I couldn’t bring myself to tell her.
• Using a formal phrasal verb in a casual setting. Bring about sounds formal, so in casual speech you may prefer cause or lead to.

Exercises with phrasal verb with bring and answers

Exercise 1: Complete each sentence with the correct phrasal verb with bring

Use: bring up, bring about, bring back, bring down, bring in, bring out. Change the form where necessary.

1. The film ______ many childhood memories.
2. She ______ the issue of safety at the meeting.
3. The new tax ______ a lot of money for the city.
4. The company plans to ______ a new model next spring.
5. The reforms ______ a major change in education.
6. The supermarket ______ prices to attract customers.

Sample answers: 1. brought back – 2. brought up – 3. brought in – 4. bring out – 5. brought about – 6. brought down

Exercise 2: Choose bring, take or fetch

1. Can you ______ me a glass of water? (bring / take)
2. Please ______ this letter to the post office on your way home. (bring / take)
3. The dog ran to ______ the ball. (bring / fetch)

Sample answers: 1. bring – 2. take – 3. fetch

Exercise 3: Find and correct the error in each sentence

1. She brought up it at the meeting. → correct to She brought it up at the meeting.
2. He brought up in London. → correct to He was brought up in London.
3. The news brought down me. → correct to The news brought me down.
4. The new law brought up a big change. → correct to The new law brought about a big change.
5. I couldn’t bring me to tell her. → correct to I couldn’t bring myself to tell her.

Tips for learning phrasal verb with bring

• Learn them in small groups. Study bring up, bring about and bring back together first, then add other verbs gradually.
• Link each verb to a picture or a situation. For example, imagine a speaker mentioning a topic for bring up and a famous song reminding you of a trip for bring back.
• Notice the register. Check whether a phrasal verb is formal, such as bring about, or informal, such as bring down meaning to make someone sad.
• Write your own sentences. One example from your own life for each meaning makes the phrase easier to remember.
• Learn the object rule from the start. Practice saying bring it up and bring them together until the pronoun position feels natural.

A phrasal verb with bring may be about carrying an object, but it can also mean raising a child, mentioning a topic, causing a change, reducing a cost or earning money. The particle decides the meaning, so learn each verb with an example, remember to put pronouns between bring and the particle, and keep bring separate from take and fetch. With regular practice, these verbs will become a natural part of your vocabulary.

See also: Phrasal verbs with make: The common meanings, example sentences and how to use them correctly

Frequently asked questions about phrasal verb with bring

What does bring up mean in everyday English?

Bring up has two common meanings: to raise a child, as in “She was brought up by her grandparents,” and to mention a topic, as in “He brought up the budget.” It can also mean to make something appear on a screen.

What is the difference between bring about and bring up?

Bring about means to cause something to happen, as in “The new law brought about major changes.” Bring up means to raise a child or mention a subject. They cannot replace each other.

What is the difference between bring and take?

Bring describes movement toward the speaker or the place being discussed, while take describes movement away from the speaker. For example, “Please bring me the book” is toward the speaker, but “Please take the book to Anna” is away from the speaker.

Keyword:

• phrasal verb with bring