Phrasal verbs with take appear in everyday conversations, school lessons, emails, and English examinations. You might take off your shoes, take up a hobby, or take after a family member. The same verb changes meaning when a different particle follows it. English certainly likes to keep learners on their toes.
This guide explains common take phrasal verbs with simple definitions, natural examples, common mistakes, and practice questions with answers. Some expressions have several meanings, so context is important.
What are phrasal verbs with take?
A phrasal verb combines a verb with an adverb or preposition, sometimes both, to create a particular meaning. For example, “take off” can mean remove clothing or leave the ground, while “take after” means resemble an older relative. These meanings cannot always be guessed from the individual words.
20 useful phrasal verbs with take
1. Take After
Meaning: resemble a family member. Example: Maya takes after her mother.
2. Take Off
Meaning: remove clothing; for an aircraft, leave the ground. Example: Please take off your shoes. The plane took off at noon.
3. Take On
Meaning: accept responsibility or work; employ; challenge. Example: She took on a new project.
4. Take Up
Meaning: begin a hobby or activity; occupy space or time. Example: He took up painting last year.
5. Take Over
Meaning: gain control or responsibility. Example: A new manager took over the team.
6. Take Out
Meaning: remove something; invite someone to a social activity. Example: Please take out the rubbish.
7. Take In
Meaning: understand or absorb; provide shelter; deceive. Example: It took me time to take in the news.
8. Take Back
Meaning: return an item; withdraw a statement. Example: I take back what I said.
9. Take Down
Meaning: write something; remove something from a higher place. Example: Take down these notes.
10. Take Apart
Meaning: separate into pieces. Example: The technician took apart the old radio.
11. Take Away
Meaning: remove; subtract; learn an important lesson. Example: What did you take away from the lecture?
12. Take Through
Meaning: explain a process step by step. Example: The trainer took us through the instructions.
13. Take To
Meaning: begin to like; develop a habit. Example: She took to the new school quickly.
14. Take Against
Meaning: develop a dislike for someone or something. Example: He took against the proposal immediately.
15. Take Along
Meaning: bring someone or something with you. Example: Take along a bottle of water.
16. Take Around
Meaning: show someone a place. Example: The guide took us around the museum.
17. Take Aside
Meaning: move someone away for a private conversation. Example: The teacher took me aside after class.
18. Take Down A Peg
Meaning: make someone less arrogant (idiomatic expression). Example: The defeat took him down a peg.
19. Take Out On
Meaning: direct anger at someone who did not cause it. Example: Do not take your frustration out on others.
20. Take Up With
Meaning: become involved or friendly with someone. Example: He took up with a group of local artists.
How grammar changes the sentence
Some take phrasal verbs are separable. With a noun, you can say “take off your jacket” or “take your jacket off.” With a pronoun, use “take it off,” not “take off it.” Similarly, “take the rubbish out” becomes “take it out.”
Other combinations are inseparable. Say “She takes after her father,” not “She takes her father after.” In “take your anger out on someone,” the object of “take out” and the person after “on” play different roles.
Common mistakes and corrections
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
| Take off it. | Take it off. | Pronoun goes between take and off. |
| She takes her mother after. | She takes after her mother. | Take after is inseparable. |
| The plane took up at six. | The plane took off at six. | Aircraft take off. |
| He took on photography as a hobby. | He took up photography as a hobby. | Take up is natural for starting hobbies. |
| Do not take your anger on me. | Do not take your anger out on me. | Use take something out on someone. |
Take off vs take out vs take up vs take over
Take off: remove a jacket or describe an aircraft leaving the ground. Take out: remove an object from a place. Take up: start an activity or use space. Take over: assume control. Compare: “Take off your coat,” “Take out your notebook,” “Take up chess,” and “Take over the project.”
Practical usage in everyday English
At school: “Take down the homework instructions.” At work: “Can you take on this assignment?” While traveling: “The flight takes off at 7 a.m.” At home: “Please take out the recycling.” In a conversation: “I take back my earlier comment.” In a family description: “He takes after his grandfather.”
Practice exercise A: Fill in the blanks
1. My sister really takes ___ our father.
2. The aircraft will take ___ shortly.
3. I decided to take ___ swimming.
4. Who will take ___ the department next month?
5. Please take ___ your shoes before entering.
6. Can you take ___ the rubbish?
7. The teacher asked us to take ___ notes.
8. She took ___ more work than she expected.
9. It was hard to take ___ the surprising news.
10. I should take ___ my unfair comment.
11. The guide took us ___ the historic building.
12. Please take your anger ___ on me.
13. The mechanic took the engine ___.
14. You can take a friend ___ to the event.
15. This large desk takes ___ too much space.
Practice exercise B: Choose the correct expression
16. She resembles her aunt. Choose: takes after / takes over.
17. He began learning guitar. Choose: took up / took out.
18. The manager assumed control. Choose: took over / took off.
19. Remove your hat. Choose: take off / take in.
20. I withdrew my words. Choose: took back / took along.
21. She accepted a challenge. Choose: took on / took after.
22. He explained the process. Choose: took us through / took us after.
23. I started liking the town. Choose: took to / took apart.
24. They removed the poster. Choose: took down / took up.
25. Bring an umbrella. Choose: take along / take against.
Complete answer key
1. after
2. off
3. up
4. over
5. off
6. out
7. down
8. on
9. in
10. back
11. around
12. out
13. apart
14. along
15. up
16. takes after
17. took up
18. took over
19. take off
20. took back
21. took on
22. took us through
23. took to
24. took down
25. take along
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between take off and take out?
Take off often means remove clothing or describe an aircraft leaving the ground. Take out commonly means remove something from a place.
Is take after separable?
No. Say “She takes after her father.”
Can take up have more than one meaning?
Yes. It can mean start an activity or occupy space or time.
What does take on mean at work?
It often means accept a responsibility, task, or challenge.
Are these expressions different in US and UK English?
Most are widely understood in both varieties. Vocabulary around the object may differ, such as “rubbish” in British English and “trash” in American English.
Final takeaway
Learn each phrasal verb with a full example rather than memorizing only a short translation. Practice the different meanings of take off, take in, and take up, and pay attention to pronoun placement. Save this guide and revisit the exercises whenever you need a refresher.
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