What Does “Bring sth up to sth” Mean?
“Bring sth up to sth” means to improve or raise something to a certain level or standard. It often refers to updating or adjusting something to match a required or desired quality.
Introduction
The phrase “Bring sth up to sth” is a useful phrasal verb in English that means to improve or update something so it reaches a specific level or standard. For example, you might bring your skills up to date or bring a building up to code. Understanding the “Bring sth up to sth meaning” can help you describe situations where something needs to be improved or adjusted. This phrase is common in both formal and informal contexts and is often used in business, education, and everyday conversations. Knowing how to use it correctly will make your English sound more natural and precise.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Bring something up to something
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: To improve or update something to a required standard or level
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Bring sth up to sth” is a separable phrasal verb, meaning the object can come between “bring” and “up” or after “up to.”
- Bring + object + up to + level/standard
- Bring up + object + to + level/standard
Example: “We need to bring the software up to date.” or “We need to bring up the software to date.”
How to Use “Bring sth up to sth”?
This phrasal verb is used when talking about improving, updating, or adjusting something to meet a desired standard. It often involves making something current, better, or compliant with rules.
- Bring skills up to a professional level
- Bring a house up to building codes
- Bring knowledge up to date
- Bring equipment up to modern standards
Examples
- We need to bring the website up to current security standards.
- The company brought its safety measures up to international regulations.
- She took extra courses to bring her English up to a fluent level.
- They are bringing the old factory up to environmental standards.
- Bring sth up to sth in a sentence: “The team worked hard to bring their performance up to championship level.”
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: Bring up the report to the manager.
- Correct: Bring the report up to the manager.
- Incorrect: I bring my skills to up professional level.
- Correct: I bring my skills up to a professional level.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include “catch up,” “update,” and “upgrade.” However, “bring up to” focuses specifically on raising or improving something to a certain standard, while:
- Catch up: Focuses on reaching the same level as others.
- Update: Means to make something current or modern.
- Upgrade: Means to improve the quality or value of something.
Example: “We need to bring the equipment up to safety standards” vs. “We need to upgrade the equipment for better performance.”
Common Collocations
- Bring skills up to standard
- Bring knowledge up to date
- Bring technology up to level
- Bring building up to code
- Bring equipment up to specification
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of bring sth up to sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: The office computers are really slow.
Mark: Yes, we should bring them up to the latest software version.
Anna: That would help everyone work faster and more efficiently.
Practice
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:
They need to ______ the factory ______ environmental standards.
- a) bring up / to
- b) bring / up to
- c) bring / to up
- d) bring / up
Answer: b) bring / up to
FAQs
- Q: Can “bring sth up to sth” be used in informal speech?
A: Yes, it is common in both formal and informal English. - Q: Is “bring sth up to sth” separable?
A: Yes, the object can come between “bring” and “up” or after “up to.” - Q: What does “sth” mean in “bring sth up to sth”?
A: “Sth” is a short form for “something.” - Q: Can this phrase refer to people?
A: Usually, it refers to things or skills, but it can apply to people’s skills or knowledge. - Q: How is it different from “bring up”?
A: “Bring up” alone means to mention a topic, while “bring sth up to sth” means improving or updating something.
