Phrasal verbs based on take

We use phrasal verbs based on the verb take quite often. Test your knowledge with these exercises. Have a look at the table and try working out their meanings and doing the exercises without looking them up first. But if you get stuck, you can quickly check their meanings at the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary or one of the other websites linked to below.

Phrasal verbs based on take can have a physical sense - take something back somewhere implying that you physically move something or accompany somebody somewhere. They can also have a more metaphorical sense, but still implying this movement - This music takes me back to my childhood, or a completely non-literal sense - She has taken up jogging.

Phrasal verbs based on take

Note that some have more than one meaning

Type 1 intransitive	Type 2 seperable	Type 3 inseperable	Type 4 three part
take off take over be taken aback	take sth apart take sb aside take sth away take sth back takes sb back take sth down take sb in take sth in take sb off take sth off take sb on take sth on take sb out take sth out take sth over take sb round take sth round take sb through sth take sth up	take after sb take to sb take to sth	take sb up on sth take it out of sb take sth out on sb take sth up with sb be taken up with sth

Note that around can be used instead of round - take sb/sth (a)round

Exercise 1 - Fill the gaps with the particles in the box. Each particle is used twice. Click and Drop - Click on a word in the box and then click on an appropriate gap. If you change your mind, just repeat the process.

apart   ·   away   ·   down   ·   on   ·   round  

1.	The factory has had several large orders and so are taking new staff.
2.	If you take ten from fifteen, you're left with five.
3.	Her mother asked Little Red Riding Hood to take some things to her Granny's house.
4.	Superstition says you should take the Christmas decorations by January 6th.
5.	She took his argument , sentence by sentence.
6.	He doesn't want to take any more responsibility at the moment.
7.	Gerard is taking the visitors the factory as we speak.
8.	We'll have to take the vacuum cleaner before we can see if we can fix it.
9.	The policeman took the witness's statement.
10.	After he had broken the window, his mother took his catapult.

Exercise 2 - Try and work out the missing particles. There are only two: six sentences use one particle, and six the other, but the sentences are mixed up.

1.	He completely took me . I totally believed every word he said
2.	These trousers are a bit big for you, but I can always take them a bit for you.
3.	Ladies and gentlemen, we shall be taking in approximately three minutes.
4.	The boat was taking water, and we were still a long way from the shore.
5.	He's taking a few days as his wife has just had a baby.
6.	This dog seems lost. We'd better take him for the night, and we'll look for his owner tomorrow.
7.	He's very good at taking famous actors. He gets their voices and mannerisms exactly right.
8.	I was so surprised, I couldn't take what he was telling me.
9.	Sales were slow at first but really took in the summer
10.	She looked at the scene for a long time, carefully taking all the details.
11.	He got a phone call a few minutes ago and just took somewhere in a great rush.
12.	Take those wet clothes and go and have a hot shower.

Exercise 3 - Try and work out the missing particles. Each group of four sentences are missing the same particle.

1.		take
	a	She took ....... the running of the department after Peter left.
	b	The company was taken ...... by its main competitor last month.
	c	Could you take ...... here for a minute while I go and get a coffee?
	d	Do you know who's taking ...... the local shop. It seems to be for sale.
2.		take
	a	I take ...... what I said to you yesterday. It was unfair of me to say that.
	b	Can you take the empty beer bottles ...... to the shop
	c	I'm afraid we can't take these shoes ...... if you don't have the receipt.
	d	This music takes me ...... to my schoodays.
3.		take
	a	He's going to take her ...... to a fancy restaurant for dinner tonight.
	b	Did you remember to take ...... holiday insurance?
	c	Have you seen a cashpoint? I need to take some money ...... of the bank.
	d	If we buy a new car, we'll have to take ...... a bank loan.

Exercise 4 - Fill the gaps with the particles in the box. Click and Drop - Click on a word in the box and then click on an appropriate gap. If you change your mind, just repeat the process.

aback   ·   after   ·   aside   ·   out(2)   ·   through   ·   to(2)   ·   up(4)  

1.	He first took writing detective novels as a hobby when he was a lawyer.
2.	So, Ladies and Gentlemen, if I can just take you the process one more time.
3.	She really takes her mother, same looks, same attitudes.
4.	He's a bit taken with a problem at the moment
5.	She was rather taken when he asked her to marry him after their third date.
6.	Just because you got a row from the boss, there's no need to take it on me!
7.	She took me for a moment. She wanted to tell me something in private.
8.	He'd never done any kite surfing before, but he took it like a duck to water.
9.	I'd like to take you on your offer if that's OK.
10.	Cycling up that long hill really takes it of you, doesn't it?
11.	Sorry, that's not my responsibility. You'll need to take it with the head of sales.
12.	Unfortunately, our dog has recently taken barking every time somebody passes the house.

Exercise 5 - Fill each gap with three words including a form of take and a pronoun.

1.	Susan's at Macdonalds with the kids. She has for a burger.
2.	Mandy really loves sailing. She right from the start.
3.	If they don't fit, why don't you to the shop?
4.	I haven't had these sweets for years. They really to my school days.
5.	The instructions are a bit complicated, and I'm finding it a bit difficult to .
6.	Your clothes are filthy! Go and this moment!
7.	And now I suppose you can't put it all back together again. I warned you not to in the first place.
8.	She's really got into jogging since she last year.
9.	I'd like you to explain how the department works to Sarah. She'll be when you move to Norwich.
10.	He's really funny when he parodies the boss. - Yes, he's very good at .

Exercise 6 - Fill each gap with three words including a form of take and a pronoun.

1.	I'll just read out the final figures. Can you and circulate them to the others, please?
2.	It's very useful having membership of this club. We last year.
3.	I know this means a lot of extra work for you, but I'd be grateful if you could for me.
4.	Sorry, I what I said earlier. It seems you were right all along.
5.	Mary seems to be getting along really well with Jenny. - Yes she really seems to have .
6.	Mary and Jennifer are just starting today. Can you the office and show them the ropes?
7.	Mark didn't want the others to hear what he had to say to Susan, so he from the others.
8.	Her story totally convinced me. She completely.
9.	She's just like her mum. - Yes, she in all sorts of ways.
10.	He appears to be just what we're looking for. In think we should as soon as possible.

Exercise 7 - Fill each gap with between two and five words including a phrasal verb based on take.

1.	He offered her a job in Paris and she on the spot.
2.	OK Sandy, let me just the procedure again.
3.	So if you have ten bricks and I these three, then you're left with seven. See?
4.	Very often, when one company another, there are serious clashes of corporate cultures.
5.	She's very busy at the moment. Her time's completely preparing the annual report.
6.	If this new product as well as our previous ones did, we will need to have plenty in stock to meet demand.
7.	Well, I'm completely . I don't know what to say.
8.	As to what you were saying, I would your line manager, if I were you.
9.	I don't know why you're ! It wasn't my fault!
10.	All these late nights are really . I definitely need to get to be a bit earlier.

Answers

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Links

My main source has been English Phrasal Verbs in Use by Michael McCarthy and Felicity O'Dell (Cambridge University Press), see links below.

• Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary - take - scroll down to Phrasal Verbs
• Using English
• English Page
• English Phrasal Verbs in Use - Sample PDF
• English Phrasal Verbs in Use - Amazon