Lisa’s question: “Yesterday I heard a co-worker telling someone that a friend was going to bring her to the movies. For some reason, that statement made me cringe as it just sounded grammatically incorrect. Should she not have stated that a friend was going to take her to the movies?”
BizWritingTip response: Bring and take imply movement with direction. Bring means to move toward the speaker’s location. Take means to move from the speaker’s location.
Bring me the report later today. (Move the report to my location.)
Take the report to the meeting. (Move it from its location to the meeting.)
I need to take a change of clothes to the gym. (The clothes must be moved from their position to the gym.)
I will bring you a change of clothes. (The clothes will be moved to you.)
In your example, your co-worker is being moved from a position to the movies. Therefore, her friend is taking her to the movies. Once they are there, I hope the friend brings her popcorn.