What Does “Take on sth” Mean?
“Take on sth” means to accept a responsibility, challenge, or task. It can also mean to hire someone or compete against someone.
Introduction
The phrasal verb “Take on sth” is commonly used in everyday English. It carries several meanings depending on the context, such as accepting work, responsibility, or a challenge. Understanding the Take on sth meaning helps learners use it naturally in conversations and writing. This verb is versatile and appears in both formal and informal settings, making it a valuable phrase to master. With clear examples and explanations, you can confidently take on new tasks or challenges in English.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Take on something
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: To accept responsibility, challenge, or hire
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Take on sth” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object either after “take on” or between “take” and “on” if the object is a pronoun.
- Take on + noun/pronoun: She took on the project.
- Take + object pronoun + on: She took it on.
Note: When the object is a noun, it usually follows “take on.”
How to Use Take on sth?
Use “Take on sth” when you want to say you accept a new responsibility, job, or challenge. It is also used when companies hire new employees or when someone competes with another person or team.
Examples of contexts include taking on a new project, accepting additional duties at work, hiring staff, or competing in a sports match.
Examples
When Sarah was offered a difficult new project, she decided to take it on despite the challenges. Here are more examples showing Take on sth in a sentence:
- The company will take on more employees next month.
- He took on the responsibility of organizing the event.
- Our team will take on the champions in the final match.
- She took on too many tasks and felt overwhelmed.
- They decided to take on a new client with a large order.
Common Mistakes
Many learners confuse the placement of the object or the meaning of “Take on sth.” Here are some examples to avoid:
- Incorrect: She took on quickly the task.
- Correct: She took on the task quickly.
- Incorrect: We take on care of the problem.
- Correct: We take on the responsibility of the problem.
Remember, “take on” is always followed by an object that shows what you are accepting or competing with.
Differences / Synonyms
“Take on sth” is similar to “accept,” “hire,” or “compete with,” but each has different uses.
- Accept: More general, can be for offers or ideas but not always tasks.
- Hire: Specifically means to employ someone, while “take on” can mean hiring but also more.
- Compete with: Focuses only on competition, while “take on” can mean challenge or responsibility.
Use “take on” when you want to emphasize accepting a challenge, responsibility, or opponent.
Common Collocations
Take on is often used with specific nouns. Here are common collocations and their meanings:
- Take on a challenge: Accept a difficult task
- Take on responsibility: Accept duties or roles
- Take on a project: Start working on a task or assignment
- Take on employees: Hire new staff
- Take on a competitor: Compete against someone
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of take on sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “take on sth”:
John: Are you going to take on the new marketing project?
Lisa: Yes, I think it will be a great challenge.
John: That’s great! I’m sure you’ll do well.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
- A) She took on the new role yesterday.
- B) She took on quickly the new role yesterday.
- C) She took the new role on yesterday quickly.
Fill in the blank:
Our company will ________ more staff next year.
FAQ
- What does “take on sth” mean? It means to accept a responsibility, challenge, or hire someone.
- Is “take on” separable? Yes, it is separable with pronouns but usually inseparable with nouns.
- Can “take on” mean compete? Yes, it can mean to compete against someone.
- What is the level of difficulty for “take on sth”? It is suitable for intermediate learners (B2 level).
- Can I use “take on” for hiring? Yes, companies often use it to mean hiring new employees.
