In our second blog on common phrasal verbs and their meanings, we’re looking at those beginning with TAKE. Have a look at the questions below, first.
Part 1. Look at the example sentences and answer the questions that follow:
John is such a funny guy. He takes after his grandfather.
- Was John’s grandfather funny?
- Is John like his grandfather?
- What does take after mean?
We took down the Christmas decorations on January 5.
- Where were the Christmas decorations on January 4?
- Where were the Christmas decorations on January 6?
- What does take down mean?
I’m working on an urgent project that’s taking up all my spare time.
- Do I have any free time at the moment?
- Why/why not?
- What does take up mean?
Part 2. Look at these example sentences. Can you work out the meaning of the phrasal verb from the context?
- My friend lost his job and his apartment, so I took him in for a month.
- Do you have time to take on a new project?
- I’m sorry I said you were stupid. I take it back.
- In the last few years, social media sites have taken off all over the world.
- He’s taken to tennis like a duck to water.
Part 3. Look at these definitions. Can you work out which phrasal verb they refer to?
- return something to a store
- leave the ground and go up into the air
- go with somebody to a restaurant or movie and pay for their food or ticket
- start doing something regularly
- make clothing smaller so that it fits you
Now you can check your answers below. How many of these phrasal verbs do you know?
Remember to add any new ones to your vocabulary notebook and write your own personal example sentences to help you remember them.
|
take after somebody |
have a similar appearance or personality (especially a relative) | She takes after her mother – they have the same green eyes and curly brown hair. |
| take something apart | separate something into parts | The technician is taking apart the TV so that he can fix it. |
| take something back | return something to a store | The jeans I bought were too small, so I took them back and exchanged them for a larger size. |
| take something back | admit that something you said was wrong | I’m sorry I said you were stupid. I take it back. |
| take something down | remove something that is on a wall or that is temporary or to separate a structure into parts | After the circus was over, the workers took down the big tents. |
| take something down | write information on paper | She took down my address and phone number and said she’d call me later. |
| take someone for something | accept or believe someone is that thing | I could have taken him for your brother |
| take somebody in | let somebody live in your house | My friend lost his job and his apartment, so I took him in for a month. |
| take something in | receive and understand information | The instructor spoke so fast that I couldn’t take in all the information. |
| take something in | make clothing smaller so that it fits you | I love this dress, but it’s a little too loose. Could you take it in an inch? |
| take off | leave the ground and go up into the air | What time does the plane take off? |
| take off | become successful or popular very fast | In the last few years, social media sites have taken off all over the world. |
| take off | leave a place suddenly
|
He was at the party for about 15 minutes, and then he took off. |
| take something off
|
remove a piece of clothing from your body | I always take off my shoes as soon as I get home. |
| take something off | not go to work for a period of time | Jamie took three days off to go skiing in the mountains |
| take something on | accept some work or responsibility | Do you have time to take on a new project? |
| take somebody on | hire or employ somebody
|
The company has taken on three new staff members. |
| take somebody on | fight or compete against somebody | In tonight’s boxing match, Antonio will take on an undefeated boxer from Argentina. |
| take somebody out | go with somebody to a restaurant or movie and pay for their food or ticket | I’m taking my girlfriend out to dinner on our anniversary. |
| take something out | remove something from a place | I took the letter out of the envelope. |
| take something out on somebody | treat an innocent person badly because you are tired or angry about something else | Hey, I know you had a terrible day at work – but don’t take it out on me! |
| take over something | take control/dominate | I don’t like being in Sally’s team because she always takes over everything. |
| take to somebody/something | start to like someone or something or to start something and be good at it | He’s taken to tennis like a duck to water. |
| take to something | start doing something often | She was so depressed she took to drink |
| take somebody through something | explain something to somebody in detail | Let me take you through the procedure for operating this machine. |
| take up something | fill space or time | These books are taking up all the space in my room. |
| take up something | start doing something regularly | I’ve recently taken up yoga. |
| take somebody up on something | Accept an offer or invitation | “When you travel to China, you’re welcome to stay at my house.”
“Really? I might take you up on that!” |
| take something up with somebody | complain to someone about a problem | If you don’t like the way I do my job, take it up with my manager. |
Ready to practise?
KAHOOT
Copy and paste this url into your browser.
https://kahoot.it/challenge/09741611?challenge-id=e178617c-b9c3-4964-9cbd-0a584d1ab4ba_1597715326974
Or go to kahoot.it and enter the PIN 09741611
Here you will find multiple choice question where you need to choose the correct phrasal verb to finish the sentence. You’ll be competing against other players this month. This round ends on 14 September 2020.
QUIZLET
https://quizlet.com/_8l4lgg?x=1qqt&i=2ui1fg
Here you will find flashcards and tests where you can STUDY the phrasal verbs and their definitions and then PLAY a matching game where you try to match the phrasal verbs/definitions in the fastest time.
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