What Does โTake on sthโ Mean?
โTake on sthโ means to accept a responsibility, challenge, or task. It can also mean to hire someone or compete against someone.
Introduction
The phrasal verb โTake on sthโ 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)
โTake on sthโ is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object either after โtake onโ or between โtakeโ and โonโ 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 โtake on.โ
How to Use Take on sth?
Use โTake on sthโ 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 โTake on sth.โ 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, โtake onโ is always followed by an object that shows what you are accepting or competing with.
Differences / Synonyms
โTake on sthโ is similar to โaccept,โ โhire,โ or โcompete with,โ 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 โtake onโ can mean hiring but also more.
- Compete with: Focuses only on competition, while โtake onโ can mean challenge or responsibility.
Use โtake onโ 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 โtake on sthโ:
John: Are you going to take on the new marketing project?
Lisa: Yes, I think it will be a great challenge.
John: Thatโs great! Iโm sure youโll 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 โtake on sthโ mean? It means to accept a responsibility, challenge, or hire someone.
- Is โtake onโ separable? Yes, it is separable with pronouns but usually inseparable with nouns.
- Can โtake onโ mean compete? Yes, it can mean to compete against someone.
- What is the level of difficulty for โtake on sthโ? It is suitable for intermediate learners (B2 level).
- Can I use โtake onโ for hiring? Yes, companies often use it to mean hiring new employees.
