Lesson

Verbs - Expressions with 'Bring'

Common expressions using bring

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Verbs - Expressions with 'Bring'

This lesson covers common expressions and phrasal verbs formed with the verb 'bring'. These expressions often have idiomatic meanings that differ from the literal meaning of 'bring'. They are frequent in professional and everyday English, so learning them will help you understand and use natural business language.

  • Many expressions are phrasal verbs: bring + particle (up, about, in, back, forward, etc.).
  • Phrasal meanings can be non-literal (e.g., 'bring about' = cause).
  • Some are separable (you can place the object between verb and particle).
  • Pay attention to tense and object placement in business contexts.

Table

Common Expressions with 'Bring'

Expression Meaning Example
bring up raise a topic; raise a child Please don't bring up salary negotiations yet.
bring about cause (a change or result) The new process brought about a 20% increase in productivity.
bring in introduce; earn revenue; recruit The campaign brought in five new clients last month.
bring forward present earlier or propose something for discussion They brought forward the launch date to May.
bring back return something; cause someone to remember This campaign brings back memories of our early years.
bring on cause (usually something negative like illness or stress) Tight deadlines can bring on unnecessary stress.

Tip

Key Rule: How these expressions work

Most 'bring' expressions are phrasal verbs or fixed phrases. Their meaning depends on the particle that follows 'bring'.

  • Bring + particle often creates an idiom with a new meaning.
  • Many are transitive: they require an object (bring up an issue, bring in revenue).
  • Some are separable: you can say 'bring the issue up' or 'bring up the issue'.
  • Choose the correct tense for the context (brought = past of bring).

Tip: Learn the particle with 'bring' as a single unit (e.g., 'bring about' = cause).

Example

Examples in context

Please don't bring up budget cuts in the meeting.

The new policy brought about significant cost savings.

Our marketing strategy brought in three major accounts this quarter.

Can we bring forward the presentation to Monday?

Tip

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these universal errors when using 'bring' expressions:

  • Assuming the literal meaning: many are idiomatic (don't interpret 'bring about' as 'bring something physical about').
  • Using the wrong particle: 'bring in' ≠ 'bring about' — each particle changes meaning.
  • Forgetting the object: most require an object (you must 'bring up an issue', not just 'bring up').
  • Wrong word order with separable verbs: place short objects between verb and particle if natural ('bring the issue up').
  • Incorrect tense: use 'brought' for past events (not 'bring' when describing yesterday).

Strategy: learn verb + particle as a unit and practice with sample sentences.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence that uses a 'bring' expression meaning 'cause':

Hint: Look for the particle that often means 'cause'.

Quiz

Complete: The CEO _____ the merger at the board meeting.

Hint: Think past tense + particle for 'raise a topic'.

Quiz

Which sentence correctly uses a separable form of 'bring up'?

Hint: Focus on correct word order for separable phrasal verbs.

Key Points

Expression

bring up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //brɪŋ ʌp//

to mention or introduce a topic; also 'to raise (children)' in another sense

She brought up the deliverable during the meeting.

Expression

bring about

phrasal verb CEFR B2 //brɪŋ əˈbaʊt//

to cause something to happen; to produce a result

The new software brought about faster processing.

Expression

bring in

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //brɪŋ ɪn//

to introduce someone or something; to generate income or recruits

The project brought in significant revenue.

Expression

bring forward

phrasal verb CEFR B2 //brɪŋ ˈfɔːrwərd//

to move something to an earlier time or to propose something for discussion

They brought forward the meeting to Friday.

Expression

bring back

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //brɪŋ bæk//

to return something or to cause someone to remember

This report brings back memories of our first project.

Expression

bring on

phrasal verb CEFR B2 //brɪŋ ɒn//

to cause something, often something negative (e.g., illness or stress)

Excessive workload can bring on burnout.