ShmoopTube

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Bring versus Take, a la Shmoop. Your little sister's birthday party is this

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afternoon, and your mom has tasked you with retrieving a sheet cake from Wal-Mart.

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The question is, will you be bringing delicious, chocolaty goodness to the shindig...

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...or taking it? The rule for “bring” versus “take”

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is: you ask people to “bring” things to you...

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...and you “take” things to where you are going.

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See, it all depends on where you are.

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For example, the delivery guy from Joe Bob’s Pizza brings pepperoni pie to your house.

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But, if you're the delivery guy, you take pizzas to your customers...

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...if, of course, you can resist eating it on the way there.

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As straightforward as this rule seems, there are exceptions that might confuse you. Idioms

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like “bring home the bacon”...

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...and phrasal verbs like “bring up” and “take down”...

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...don't follow the “bring” versus “take” rule.

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However, if you have to use a simple “bring” or take”, just remember...

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...you'd ask your boyfriend to “bring” his favorite movie to your house...

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...and you'd “take” your favorite movie over to his.

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Yeah, like you two are gonna watch movies. Oh, and in case you don't know, the past tense

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of “bring” is “brought”.

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Not “brung”. Not “brang”. Those are not words. You'll sound like a fool if you

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say them...

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...and likely send your poor English teacher to an early grave.

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