Expressions with ‘bring’

• bring to a close (to make something end): They brought the party to a close.

• bring a lump to your throat (make you feel like crying): The play was so beautiful that it

brought a lump to my throat.

• bring tears to your eyes (make you cry a little): The thoughtful gift brought tears to her eyes.

• bring something to light (make something public that was secret): The argument brought a lot

of secrets to light.

• bring something to life (make something feel exciting or real): The architect's drawings really

brought our new house to life.

• bring up the rear (be at the back of a group): The children walked at the front and the adults

brought up the rear.

• bring crashing down (to cause a serious failure): His alcoholism brought his career crashing

down.

• bring the house down (to make people in a theatre, etc, cheer and clap very loudly): His guitar

solo brought the house down.

• bring out the best in someone (make someone behave as well as possible): She really brings

out the best in him. He's hardly grumpy any more.

• bring home the bacon (to earn money): He looks after the kids and his wife brings home the

bacon.

© www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use
Let's review! Put in the correct word or words to complete the expression.

1. Could you bring up the _____________________________________________? I need to

walk at the front to show everyone the way.

2. His jokes brought the _____________________________________________.

3. The teacher knows how to bring out _____________________________________________

in the children.

4. Let's finish this last point and bring this meeting

_____________________________________________.

5. The music brought _____________________________________________ to her eyes

because it was so beautiful.

6. The new colours brought the room to

_____________________________________________. It's so much more cheerful now.

7. He needs to get a job if he's going to bring home the

_____________________________________________.

8. Unfortunately that mistake brought the whole business

_____________________________________________.

9. The newspaper article brought all kinds of things to

_____________________________________________.

10. The story was so sad that it brought a _____________________________________________

to my throat.

© www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use
Answers

1. Could you bring up the rear? I need to walk at the front to show everyone the way.

2. His jokes brought the house down.

3. The teacher knows how to bring out the best in the children.

4. Let's finish this last point and bring this meeting to a close.

5. The music brought tears to her eyes because it was so beautiful.

6. The new colours brought the room to life. It's so much more cheerful now.

7. He needs to get a job if he's going to bring home the bacon.

8. Unfortunately that mistake brought the whole business crashing down.

9. The newspaper article brought all kinds of things to light.

10. The story was so sad that it brought a lump to my throat.

© www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use