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Several readers have asked me to clarify the proper use of "bring" and "take." Newcomers to New England, where I live, seem particularly dismayed at the misuse of these two verbs by us Yankees.

Jack McDonough, who moved to Connecticut from Pittsburgh, writes: "New Englanders say, 'They are going to bring something to another location rather than saying, take something. I always believed that you 'bring here' and 'take there.'"

Jack is nimble, Jack is quick, and Jack is right. As he says, "bring" implies movement toward the speaker, so you should say, "Bring me my soft pillow." "Take" implies movement away from the speaker, so you should say, "Take away this hard pillow."

Thus, these two sentences are incorrect: 1. "When you go to the beach, bring your swim suit." (Here the movement is clearly away from the speaker, so it should be "take.") 2. "When you come to the beach, take your swimsuit." (Here the movement is clearly toward the speaker, so it should be "bring.")

In these straightforward situations, most of us naturally choose the correct verb without even thinking about it. But in some situations, the movement toward or away from the speaker is ambiguous, or the movement has nothing to do with the speaker. In those cases, then either "bring" or "take" can be used.

For instance, as Jack prepares to leave for a dinner party (where he'll presumably find a candlestick to jump over), he might tell his spouse, "I'll bring the wine." Because he's moving the wine away from the place he is now (his home), technically he should say, "I'll take the wine."

But, bon vivant that he is, he's thinking ahead to his arrival at the party when he'll be moving the wine toward the host, so he says, "I'll bring the wine," which actually sounds more natural.

Now you try it. Which verb would you choose in each of these sentences?

1. Please (bring, take) that bike from here to there. 2. Please (bring, take) that bike from there to here. 3. Please (bring, take) this letter when you come. 4. Please (bring, take) this letter when you go.

5. When you go to the store, please (bring, take) this coupon with you. 6. When you come to the store, please (bring, take) this coupon with you. 7. Every day I (bring, take) an apple to my teacher. 8. After school each day, I (bring, take) my textbook home.

Answers:

1. take 2. bring 3. bring 4. take 5. take 6. bring 7. and 8. either "bring" or "take" because the location of the speaker is ambiguous

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Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Connecticut, invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via email to WordGuy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

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