bring and take When do we use bring and when do we use take? | š Eco English
bring and take When do we use bring and when do we use take?
1 speakerās/hearerās position
We mostly use bring for movements to the place where the speaker or hearer is, and take for movements to other places. Compare: ā This is a nice restaurant. Thanks for bringing me here (not ā¦ thanks for taking me here.) Letās have another drink, and then Iāll take you home (not ā¦ and then Iāll bring you home.) ā (on the phone) Can we come over on Sunday? Weāll bring a picnic Letās go and see Aunt May on Sunday. We can take a picnic
2 speakerās/hearerās past or future position We can also use bring for a movement to a place where the speaker or hearer already was or will be. Compare: ā Whereās that report?āāI brought it to you when you were in Mr Allenās office. Donāt you remember ? I took the papers to Jackās office ā Iāll arrive at the hotel at six oāclock. Can you bring the car at six-thirty? Can you take the car to the garage tomorrow? I wonāt have time (not Can you bring the car to the garage tomorrow? ā¦)
3 joining a movement Bring (with) can be used to talk about joining a movement of the speakerās/hearerās, even if take is used for the movement itself. Iām taking the kids to the circus tonight. Would you like to come with us and bring Susie?
4 somebody elseās position Sometimes when we are talking about somebody else (not the speaker or hearer), that person can become the centre of our attention. In that case, we use bring for movements to the place where he/she is (or was or will be). This often happens in stories. He heard nothing for months. Then one day his brother brought him a letter
5 American English Americans often use bring where British English has take. Letās go and see Aunt May on Sunday. We can bring a picnic