I need a teacher!
 

In a nut-shell, I've found myself in a supervisory role in a production facility, managing mostly males in their 20's. On Friday, "John" explained to me that he had to leave at 3:00pm because "Bob" was bringing him home. "No", I said, "Bob is 'taking' you home. Not only will you learn to weld and repair machinery in this facility, but you will learn to speak properly. Is that understood? Yes, you may leave at 3:00 so that Bob may take you home." He looked at me like I was from Mars. "oh, ok, I get it." Later, my step-daughter said that she was leaving to "bring" her boy-friend home. "No", I said, "you are 'taking' him home". Again, a blank stare. I know I'm right, but it's only a matter of time before I have to explain this matter of 'diction'? Am I right or wrong? Help!!!

Re: I need a teacher!
 

By Jove, you've got it, Bill!
Most people are so very confused with the correct usage of these two words and some scholars have even suggested that they can be inter-changable these days. But me thinks you are on the right track, my friend, as can be seen by reading the following.

What's the difference between take and bring?

A lot of English learners have a problem with this. Here's the answer:

Bring
We ask people to bring things to the place where we are. Bring is used in relation to a destination:

"Bring some food to the party at my house."

"Bring your homework to me"

"Please bring your bag here."

Take
We take things to the place we are going to. We take them from the place where we are to another place. Take is used in relation to a starting point.

"I'm going to take some cake to Paul's house for his birthday party."

"Take your dog away from me."

"Please take your bag there."

Re: I need a teacher!
 

You need an ABE (adult basic English) or ESL (English second language) instructor to help your employees. Call the nearest adult education center. They may be able to help.
I am too far away to help you. I am also a retired ESL/ABE instructor !!!

Re: I need a teacher!
 

Bill,
Try working at a skateboard company.

I'm just sayin...

Re: I need a teacher!
 

Hi,

Just wanted to chime in from my "English as a second language' point of view. (Plus a free but compulsive 'Chinese lesson'.)

The way I learned the two words: 'Take' is equivalent to '拿' as in "take it away" (拿開, 拿走, 拿去); while 'Bring' is equivalent to '帶' as in "bring it here", "bring him with you" (帶過來, 帶他一起來) One is away from me [take]; the other is toward me [bring]. No confusion at all.

However, like our English teacher always said: "Where there's a rule, there's an exception." (Hubby just brought me my Tamoxifen, and I took it with water. :)

Re: I need a teacher!
 

I agree: Bob was taking him home.
About the boyfriend, I would also agree with the "taking" instead of bringing.
BUT if she said she was bringing him home to meet you, then I would go with the bring instead of take.

Re: I need a teacher!
 

I've heard some older folks use this term: "I'm gonna take my excersize about noon" or

"I take my excersize as soon as I get up"

Huh??? What????????!!?!?!

Bill, we can only blame their parents. There parents should have been correcting them, but we all know that there are plenty of people in this world that should NEVER be parents.

Re: I need a teacher!
 

if you were to use the past tense of reach what is it? know a few people who say retched. and i think "oh so you threw up".