I could bring up any excuse I wanted to, but...

Question

HiDo you find this sentence OK, especially the use of the highlited words?I could bring up any excuse I wanted to, but I decided to be honest.Thanks,Tom

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi Tom,

Do you find this sentence OK, especially the use of the highlited words?

It's OK, but I much prefer 'make' as explained below.

I could bring up any excuse I wanted to, but I decided to be honest.

bring up - offer for consideration by both parties

make - offer in the hope of obtaining forgiveness

Clive

Avangi · Answer

The sentence is okay, but I don't think it says exactly what you mean.

When you "bring something up," we understand that its existence is already known. It's as though you're picking one at random from a standard list of excuses.

Of course, that may be what you wish to convey.

I think your intention is more like, "I could make up any excuse I wanted to." In this case you mean you're inventing the excuse.

We usually use "bring up" to evoke items which are well-known to both parties.

"I could bring up the ten grand I loaned you last year." This means I could bring up the subject, or remind you of it.

Another option would be to say, "I could have offered any excuse I wanted to."

This doesn't commit you to either a legitimate or an illegitimate excuse.

There's also a tense question.
"I decided to be honest" is simple past," and you may wish to indicate that your option to offer an excuse preceded your decision to be honest:

"I could have made/brought up any excuse I wanted to, but I decided to be honest."

But your tense arrangement could work in a narrative style.

Mr. Tom · Answer

Many thanks, Clive and Avangi!

So, am I to understand that "make any excuse" and "make up any excuse" are essentially synonymous?

Tom

Avangi · Answer

Mr. Tom So, am I to understand that "make any excuse" and "make up any excuse" are essentially synonymous?

In my experience there can be a difference between making an excuse and making up an excuse.

To make an excuse is to claim that certain facts (probably true) abrogate your responsibility for some action.
I'm not making/offering any excuses for what I did.

I believe that in most cases, "to make up an excuse" implies that even the facts are false.
(Not in every case.)
The dog ate my homework. Maybe he did; maybe he didn't.

"You just made it up" is an idiom, I believe. "Oh, you just made that up!" (It's a lie.)

I could bring up any excuse I wanted to, but...

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