Phrasal Verb: 'Bring about' (Cause)
Use 'bring about' to describe causing significant, often abstract, changes or results in professional and formal contexts.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Means 'to cause something to happen', usually a change.
- Commonly used for social, political, or organizational shifts.
- Transitive verb that usually stays together (not separated).
- Past tense is 'brought about', never 'brang about'.
Quick Reference
| Context | Typical Object | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Business | Digital transformation | Intentional strategic change |
| Politics | Social reform | Result of long-term effort |
| Environment | Climate shifts | Large-scale consequences |
| Personal | A change in mindset | Significant internal growth |
| History | The fall of an empire | Complex chain of events |
| Science | A breakthrough | The result of research |
Key Examples
3 of 8The new CEO hopes to bring about a culture of transparency.
El nuevo CEO espera provocar una cultura de transparencia.
The industrial revolution brought about massive urbanization.
La revolución industrial provocó una urbanización masiva.
The crisis was tough, but it brought those changes about eventually.
La crisis fue dura, pero finalmente provocó esos cambios.
The 'Big Change' Rule
If you can't imagine a news anchor saying it, don't use 'bring about'. It's reserved for events that matter on a large scale.
Don't Over-Separate
While you *can* say 'bring the change about', it sounds a bit clunky. Keep the verb and particle together for a more natural C1 flow.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Means 'to cause something to happen', usually a change.
- Commonly used for social, political, or organizational shifts.
- Transitive verb that usually stays together (not separated).
- Past tense is 'brought about', never 'brang about'.
Overview
Bring about is a powerhouse phrasal verb. It means to make something happen. You use it when discussing significant changes. It often implies a process or a series of events. Think of it as the sophisticated cousin of cause. It sounds professional and polished. You will hear it in news reports. You will see it in business proposals. It is perfect for C1 learners. It shows you understand nuance. It suggests a deliberate or inevitable result.
How This Grammar Works
This is a transitive phrasal verb. That means it always needs an object. You cannot just say "It brought about." You must say what it brought about. Usually, the object is an abstract noun. Think of words like change, reform, or peace. In terms of structure, it is separable. You can put the object in the middle. However, native speakers rarely do this. We usually keep bring and about together. This keeps the sentence flow smooth. It is like a well-oiled machine. If the object is a long phrase, keep them together. If the object is a pronoun, you must separate them. But honestly, using pronouns with this verb is rare.
Formation Pattern
- 1Start with your subject. This is the catalyst.
- 2Add the verb
bring. Conjugate it for your tense. - 3Follow immediately with the particle
about. - 4Finish with the result (the object).
- 5Example:
The new law(subject) +brought(past tense) +about+huge changes(object).
When To Use It
Use this when the cause is complex. It is great for social movements. Use it for technological shifts. If a new CEO changes the company culture, they brought about change. If a protest leads to new rights, it brought about reform. It works well in job interviews. You can talk about the results you achieved. "I brought about a 20% increase in sales." It sounds much more impressive than just saying "I caused it." It implies leadership and agency. Use it when the result is a big deal.
When Not To Use It
Do not use it for simple physical actions. If you drop a glass, you caused a mess. You did not bring about a mess. That sounds way too dramatic. It would be like wearing a tuxedo to a backyard BBQ. Avoid it for small, accidental things. "I brought about a stubbed toe" is just silly. Also, avoid it if the result is immediate and physical. Use cause or make for those situations. Keep bring about for the heavy lifting.
Common Mistakes
Many people confuse it with bring up. Remember, bring up is for raising children or topics. Bring about is for causing results. Another mistake is using the wrong past tense. The past of bring is brought, not brang. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! Do not confuse it with result in. While similar, result in focuses on the end point. Bring about focuses on the action of making it happen. Also, watch your prepositions. Do not say bring around when you mean cause. Bring around means to persuade someone.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Cause is the most basic version. It is neutral and direct. Lead to suggests a path or a sequence. It feels a bit more passive. Bring about feels more active and intentional. It suggests someone or something worked to make it happen. Trigger is for sudden, explosive changes. If a small event starts a big war, it triggered it. If a long negotiation creates peace, it brought about peace. See the difference? It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means go with bring about for positive, planned changes.
Quick FAQ
Q. Is it formal?
A. Yes, it is quite formal and professional.
Q. Can I use it for negative things?
A. Absolutely. It can bring about a downfall or a crisis.
Q. Is it common in daily speech?
A. It is less common in casual chats. It is very common in writing.
Q. Can I separate the verb and particle?
A. You can, but it is better to keep them together.
Reference Table
| Context | Typical Object | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Business | Digital transformation | Intentional strategic change |
| Politics | Social reform | Result of long-term effort |
| Environment | Climate shifts | Large-scale consequences |
| Personal | A change in mindset | Significant internal growth |
| History | The fall of an empire | Complex chain of events |
| Science | A breakthrough | The result of research |
The 'Big Change' Rule
If you can't imagine a news anchor saying it, don't use 'bring about'. It's reserved for events that matter on a large scale.
Don't Over-Separate
While you *can* say 'bring the change about', it sounds a bit clunky. Keep the verb and particle together for a more natural C1 flow.
Nouns are Friends
This verb loves abstract nouns. Pair it with words ending in -tion, -ment, or -ity to sound like a total pro.
Business Etiquette
In interviews, use 'bring about' to describe your achievements. It sounds like you were the active leader of the change, not just a bystander.
उदाहरण
8The new CEO hopes to bring about a culture of transparency.
Focus: bring about
El nuevo CEO espera provocar una cultura de transparencia.
Standard usage in a corporate setting.
The industrial revolution brought about massive urbanization.
Focus: brought about
La revolución industrial provocó una urbanización masiva.
Note the irregular past tense 'brought'.
The crisis was tough, but it brought those changes about eventually.
Focus: brought those changes about
La crisis fue dura, pero finalmente provocó esos cambios.
Separating is possible but less common at this level.
Economic sanctions were intended to bring about political reform.
Focus: bring about
Las sanciones económicas tenían como objetivo provocar una reforma política.
Very common in political journalism.
✗ The rain brought about me being late. → ✓ The rain caused me to be late.
Focus: caused
La lluvia hizo que llegara tarde.
Don't use 'bring about' for simple, personal inconveniences.
✗ He brang about the collapse. → ✓ He brought about the collapse.
Focus: brought about
Él provocó el colapso.
Always use 'brought' for the past tense.
Only a collective effort will bring about the necessary environmental shifts.
Focus: bring about
Solo un esfuerzo colectivo provocará los cambios ambientales necesarios.
Uses 'will' for future prediction of major change.
Significant improvements in healthcare were brought about by new technology.
Focus: were brought about
Las mejoras significativas en la salud fueron provocadas por la nueva tecnología.
The passive voice is very common in academic writing.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct form to complete the sentence regarding a company merger.
The merger is expected to ___ significant changes in the management structure.
'Bring about' means to cause a change, while 'bring up' means to mention a topic.
Identify the correct past tense form.
The protest ___ the downfall of the corrupt regime.
The past tense of 'bring' is 'brought'. 'Bring around' means to persuade someone.
Select the best fit for this formal report.
The discovery of penicillin ___ a revolution in medicine.
'Brought about' is the appropriate formal term for causing a major historical shift.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Cause vs. Bring About
Should I use 'Bring About'?
Is the result a major change?
Is the context formal/professional?
Is the object an abstract noun?
Common Collocations
Positive
- • Peace
- • Prosperity
- • Improvement
Negative
- • Destruction
- • Collapse
- • Demise
Frequently Asked Questions
22 questionsIt means to cause something to happen. It is usually used for significant changes like bring about a revolution.
Yes, it is much more formal. You would use it in a business report but rarely when talking to a toddler.
Yes, you can. For example, The war brought about widespread poverty is a perfectly correct sentence.
It might sound a bit 'extra' or overly dramatic. Stick to cause or make happen for everyday small talk.
The past tense is brought about. Never use brang, which is a common error even among some native speakers.
Technically yes, as in bring it about. However, in C1 writing, we usually keep them together: bring about it (Wait, no! If it's a pronoun, you MUST separate it: bring it about).
Correct. If you use a pronoun like it or them, it must go in the middle: We tried to bring it about.
Lead to is more about the path or direction. Bring about emphasizes the agency or the force that made it happen.
Not really. You don't bring about a chair. You bring about a situation or bring about a change.
Very common! You will often see Change was brought about by... in academic or journalistic writing.
Yes. The activist brought about change. It shows the person was the primary reason for the result.
Yes. The new technology brought about a shift in the market. This is very common in tech writing.
No! Bring up means to mention a topic or raise a child. They are completely different animals.
Bring around means to change someone's mind. Bring about means to cause a situation.
Yes, engender, generate, and precipitate are high-level synonyms. Bring about is more common than those, though.
Yes. How did you bring about such a recovery? is a great way to ask someone about their success.
Usually, yes. It suggests that the change didn't happen instantly, but was the result of effort or a sequence.
Frequently. Scientists use it to describe how one variable brought about a change in another.
Using it for tiny things. Saying I brought about a sneeze is funny because it's so overly formal.
Think of 'bringing' a new reality 'about' (around) into existence. It's about movement toward a result.
It is used equally in both. It is a standard part of global professional English.
Yes. We hope this plan will bring about a resolution. It's great for expressing goals.
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