Meaning trap
bring up
raise a child
to care for and educate a child as they grow up.
phrasal verbB2common
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
raise a child
to care for and educate a child as they grow up.
bring up (mention a topic)
Another meaning of 'bring up' is 'mention a topic'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- My parents brought me up to be independent.family
- In my country, it’s common for grandparents to help bring up children, especially when both parents are working.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: bring up [child/person]
WrongMy grandmother brought up me.
RightMy grandmother brought me up.
With a pronoun, split the verb: 'brought me up', not 'brought up me'.
Patternbring up [child/person]
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Bring up' is the everyday verb for raising children; 'rear' sounds old-fashioned or formal for people.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
bring up + childthree kidsa familywellon your own
Don't confuse it
Different from 'grow up', which means to become older.
Related
- bring up (mention a topic) — Another meaning of 'bring up' is 'mention a topic'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.