Meaning trap

bring forward

move to an earlier time

To change the time or date of something so that it happens sooner than originally planned.

phrasal verbB1common

Don't mix these meanings

Same phrase, different job.

move to an earlier time

To change the time or date of something so that it happens sooner than originally planned.

bring forward (suggest for discussion)

Another meaning of 'bring forward' is 'suggest for discussion'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

The meeting was brought forward to Monday so everyone could attend.daily life
If I could change something about my school schedule, I would bring forward the start time of classes so we could finish earlier in the day.IELTS speaking

Pattern: bring something forward

WrongThey brought forward it to 9am.

RightThey brought it forward to 9am.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'bring it forward'.

Patternbring something forward

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff We have rescheduled the meeting to an earlier date.

Natural We've brought the meeting forward.

'Bring forward' is the natural verb for moving an event earlier; 'rescheduled to an earlier date' is formal.

Words that usually travel with it.

'Bring forward' is the opposite of 'put off' or 'postpone'.

bring forward (suggest for discussion) — Another meaning of 'bring forward' is 'suggest for discussion'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.