Confusing Words: Bought (past tense of verb – buy) and Brought (past tense of verb – bring)
Meaning:
Bought (the past tense and past participle of buy.)
Brought (past simple and past participle of bring.)
Bought vs Brought Clarification: Both of these words are different in terms of meanings, spellings and functions.
Bought vs Brought – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?
In this post, I will define each of the above terms and use these words in example sentences. Bought and brought are just one-letter apart. If you speak out these words together, you will not feel any difference in pronunciation.
This is the reason of the confusion between them. I hope that after reading the proper definitions with example sentences, you will never find any confusion again.
Bought
Bought is the past tense of the verb ‘buy’.
Definition of Buy: Buy means to obtain, get or to acquire something in exchange for money. For example,
1. I will buy these plates for $10 only.
2. She bought a brand new designer dress.
3. In October 2014, he bought his first home, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom investment property in Bracken Ridge, about 30km north of the CBD, for $378,500. (NEWS.com.eu)
Brought
Brought is the past tense of the verb ‘bring’.
Definition of Bring: Bring means to take or to carry someone or something from one to another place. For example,
1. Please, bring me a glass of water.
2. She asked me to bring a glass of water, but I <strongbrought a glass of fresh orange juice for her.
3. Amnesty International has revealed that just one unaccompanied child refugee has been brought to Northern Ireland under the Dubs scheme, introduced by the Government in response to a campaign fronted by Labour peer and former child refugee, Lord Dubs. (Amnesty International UK)
Quiz
Remember that bought is the past tense of buy whereas, brought is the past tense of bring ( i.e. brought and bring have –r in them).
Here is a small quiz for you. Fill in the blanks using bought or brought.
1. My friend ___________ me some chocolates.
2. I __________ a toy car from a nearby store.
3. She _________ a dinner set for $50.
4. Don’t worry, I have __________ the money.
(Answers at the end)
What Did You Learn?
Bought and brought are just one-letter apart. Both of these words are different in terms of meanings, spellings and functions. Bought is the past tense of buy meaning to obtain in exchange for money. Brought, on the other hand, is the past tense of bring meaning to carry someone or something.
Answers : 1. Brought , 2. Bought , 3. Bought , 4. Brought