What Does โBring sb inโ Mean?
โBring sb inโ means to involve someone in a situation, often by asking for their help or advice. It can also mean to officially take someone into custody or to invite someone to join a group.
Introduction
The phrasal verb โbring sb inโ is commonly used in English to describe the action of involving someone or requesting their participation. The phrase has several meanings depending on the context, such as including a person in a conversation, a project, or legal matters. For example, a manager might bring an expert in to help solve a problem or the police could bring a suspect in for questioning. Understanding the different uses of โbring sb inโ meaning will help you use it naturally in both formal and informal situations.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Bring somebody in
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: To involve or include someone; to take someone into custody
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โBring sb inโ is a transitive phrasal verb, which means it requires an object (someone). It is separable, so you can place the object either between โbringโ and โinโ or after the phrase.
- Bring someone in
- Bring in someone
Examples:
- They brought the expert in to help.
- They brought in the expert to help.
How to Use โBring sb inโ?
You can use โbring sb inโ when talking about involving someone in a task, discussion, or investigation. It can also be used in law enforcement when referring to arresting or questioning a person. In business, it often means hiring or consulting someone. The phrase fits formal and informal contexts.
Examples
- The manager decided to bring in a consultant to improve the project.
- The police brought the suspect in for questioning last night.
- We should bring Sarah in to help with the presentation.
- They brought in new team members to speed up the work.
- Bring him in if you need his advice on the issue.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: Bring in him to the meeting.
Correct: Bring him in to the meeting. - Incorrect: They bring in for questioning the suspect.
Correct: They brought the suspect in for questioning.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include call in, bring on, and take in. However, โbring sb inโ specifically involves including someone in a process or taking someone into custody.
- Call in: To request someoneโs presence or help, often by phone.
- Bring on: To cause something to happen or introduce a new person.
- Take in: To understand something or to provide shelter.
Unlike โcall in,โ โbring sb inโ implies a more active involvement rather than just asking someone to come.
Common Collocations
- Bring in an expert
- Bring in a suspect
- Bring in new members
- Bring in help
- Bring in a consultant
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of bring sb in:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: We are struggling with this project. Should we bring someone in?
John: Yes, I think bringing in a specialist would help a lot.
Anna: Great! Iโll bring Sarah in tomorrow to assist us.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
- a) They brought in the expert to solve the problem.
- b) They brought the expert in to solve the problem.
- c) Both a and b are correct.
Answer: c) Both a and b are correct.
FAQs
- What does โbring sb inโ mean? It means to involve or include someone, or to take someone into custody.
- Is โbring sb inโ separable? Yes, you can put the object between โbringโ and โinโ or after the phrase.
- Can โbring sb inโ be used in formal situations? Yes, it is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
- What is the difference between โbring sb inโ and โcall sb inโ? โBring sb inโ implies involving someone actively, while โcall sb inโ means asking someone to come, often by phone.
- Can โbring sb inโ mean to arrest someone? Yes, in police contexts, it means to take a suspect into custody.
