To Bring

If you 'bring something about', you cause it to happen.

• How can we bring about change in this old-fashioned company?

• We need to bring about a change in attitude.

If you 'bring someone along' with you, they come with you.

• I want to bring along John to the meeting, if that is OK.

• Why not bring Simon along, if he's interested?

If something 'brings back' memories, it reminds you of the past.

• That photo brings back memories of our visit to Thailand.

• Meeting him brought back memories of when we worked together.

If you 'bring down' a price, you reduce it.

• We need to bring down the price to something more affordable.

• They're bringing down the price of all their cars.

If you 'bring forward' a meeting, you arrange it for an earlier time.

• I want to bring forward the meeting to Tuesday.

• Can we bring forward the meeting by an hour?

If you 'bring someone in on' a discussion, you ask them to join in with your discussion.

• I want to bring in John on this as he is an expert.

• We need to bring in an outside consultant.

If you 'bring out' a new product, you introduce it to the market.

• I hear they have brought out a new model.

• We're bringing it out early next year.

If you 'bring someone round', you persuade them.

• He was against the idea but Sally brought him round.

• How can we bring him round?

If you 'bring up' a subject, you mention it.

• Mark brought up the problem with the heating.

• Any other problems that you want to bring up?

If you 'bring on' somebody, you train them to be better.

• Martin always brings on the trainees really well.

• We try to bring on people quickly and promote them.

To Come

1. Sometimes you keep something even though you don't need it at the time but because you think in the future it might 'come in useful'.

• Keep that. It might come in useful one day.

• I don't like learning English but it will come in useful when I get a job.

2. When something is falling, you can say that it is 'coming down'.

• The football match was stopped because the rain was coming down so heavily.

• Don't buy an Ipod yet. The prices will be coming down soon.

3. When a book is published, it 'comes out'.

• The magazine comes out once a month.

• My new book comes out in August.

4.If you 'come on to' a particular topic or idea, you start discussing it.

• Can we come on to the subject of parking?

• Before we come on to that, does anybody have any comments?

5. If you 'come across' something, you find it by accident.

• I came across these old photos when I was cleaning out my cupboard.

• She came across Richard in the middle of Oxford.

6. If a feeling 'comes over you', it affects you, often in an uncharacteristic way.

• I'm sorry for shouting. I don't know what came over me.

• A look of pleasure came over her face.

7. If a problem or situation 'comes up' it happens. (We can also say 'crops up'.)

• A big problem came up at work.

• Something has come up and I can't meet you.

8. If you 'come up with' a plan or idea, you think of it or suggest it.

• Peter came up with a good idea today.

• Can anybody come up with a solution?

9. If somebody 'comes across' as having a particular characteristic, they have given you the impression that they are like this.

• When you first meet Susan, she comes across as a shy person but in fact she is quite self-confident.

• Do you know that you come across as very arrogant?

10. When you are talking about the results of a situation, you can talk about what 'comes of' the situation.

• I'll let you know what comes of the meeting.

• No great harm came from it.

11. If an event or action 'comes off', it is successful or effective.

• I hope this high risk strategy comes off for us.

• I don't think it is going to come off.

12. If an idea 'comes upon' you, it develops without your really being aware of it.

• The idea came upon me when I was out walking the dog.

• I came upon the solution by pure chance.