What Does “Bump sth up” Mean?
“Bump sth up” means to increase or raise something, often in a casual or informal way. It is commonly used to talk about raising prices, numbers, or levels.
Introduction
The phrasal verb “bump sth up” is widely used in everyday English to describe the action of increasing or raising something. Whether you want to talk about raising your salary, increasing the volume, or boosting a budget, “bump sth up” fits perfectly. Understanding the bump sth up meaning helps learners sound natural and confident when discussing changes or improvements. It is especially useful in informal conversations or business settings when discussing adjustments or enhancements. This phrase is simple but effective and can be applied to many different situations.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: bump something up
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to increase or raise something
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Bump sth up” is a separable transitive phrasal verb. This means you can place the object (something) between “bump” and “up” or after “up.”
- Subject + bump + object + up
- Example: They bumped the price up yesterday.
- Subject + bump up + object
- Example: They bumped up the price yesterday.
How to Use “Bump sth up”?
You can use “bump sth up” when talking about increasing numbers, prices, levels, or amounts. It is informal and often used in spoken English and business conversations. For example, you can bump up a salary, a budget, the volume of music, or even the speed of a process. The phrase adds a casual tone to your sentence, making it sound more natural and less formal.
Examples
- They decided to bump up the price of tickets for the concert.
- Can you bump up the volume? I can’t hear the TV.
- We need to bump up our marketing budget this quarter.
- She bumped up her study hours before the exam.
- Bump sth up in a sentence: The company bumped up salaries to keep employees happy.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: They bump up the price yesterday.
Correct: They bumped up the price yesterday. - Incorrect: Can you bump up?
Correct: Can you bump up the volume? - Incorrect: I want to bump up about my salary.
Correct: I want to bump up my salary.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include raise, increase, and turn up. However, “bump sth up” is more informal and often used in spoken English.
- Raise: More formal and general. E.g., “They raised the price.”
- Increase: Formal and used in writing and speech. E.g., “We increased the budget.”
- Turn up: Specifically for volume or settings. E.g., “Turn up the music.”
- Bump up: Informal, casual increase, often with a sense of quick or small rise.
Common Collocations
- bump up the price
- bump up the volume
- bump up the salary
- bump up the budget
- bump up the speed
- bump up the numbers
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of bump sth up:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: The company wants to bump up our salaries this year.
John: That’s great news! I hope they bump up the bonuses too.
Anna: Me too. I heard they bumped up the budget for training as well.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
- a) They bumped the rent up last month.
- b) They bump up the rent last month.
- c) They bump the rent up last month.
Answer: a) They bumped the rent up last month.
FAQs
- Q: Can I use “bump sth up” in formal writing?
A: It is better suited for informal or conversational English. Use “increase” or “raise” in formal writing. - Q: Is “bump up” separable?
A: Yes, you can place the object between “bump” and “up” or after “up.” - Q: Can I use “bump up” for people?
A: Usually, it refers to things like numbers or amounts, not people. - Q: What is the difference between “bump up” and “turn up”?
A: “Bump up” means to increase amounts or levels, while “turn up” usually means to increase volume or brightness. - Q: Can “bump up” be used in the past tense?
A: Yes, the past tense is “bumped up.”
