Collocations are combinations of words that frequently appear together, forming natural-sounding expressions in a language. Understanding and using collocations correctly is crucial for achieving fluency and accuracy in English.
This article focuses on collocations with the verb ‘take,’ which is one of the most versatile verbs in the English language. Mastering these collocations will significantly improve your ability to communicate effectively and naturally.
This guide is designed for English language learners of all levels, from beginners to advanced speakers, and aims to provide a clear, comprehensive, and practical understanding of ‘take’ collocations.
By the end of this article, you will be able to recognize, understand, and use a wide range of collocations with ‘take’ in various contexts. Whether you are preparing for an English exam, writing a report, or simply engaging in a conversation, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to use ‘take’ collocations confidently and correctly.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What are Collocations?
- The Importance of Collocations
- Collocations with ‘Take’: An Overview
- Structural Breakdown of ‘Take’ Collocations
- Types of Collocations with ‘Take’
- Examples of Collocations with ‘Take’
- Usage Rules for Collocations with ‘Take’
- Common Mistakes with ‘Take’ Collocations
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics: Nuances and Idiomatic Expressions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Conclusion
What are Collocations?
Collocations are pairs or groups of words that are frequently used together in a language. These combinations sound natural to native speakers, while other combinations, even if grammatically correct, may sound awkward or unnatural. Collocations are not necessarily fixed phrases; they can be flexible, allowing for variations in tense, number, and other grammatical features. Understanding and using collocations correctly is essential for achieving fluency and accuracy in English.
For example, we say “make a mistake” rather than “do a mistake,” even though both verbs, “make” and “do,” can express similar actions. The combination “make a mistake” is a collocation because it is the commonly accepted and natural way to express this idea in English.
The Importance of Collocations
Learning collocations is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, using collocations makes your English sound more natural and fluent.
Native speakers instinctively use collocations, and using them yourself will make your speech and writing more idiomatic. Secondly, knowing collocations helps you avoid common grammatical errors.
By learning which words typically go together, you can avoid using incorrect or unnatural combinations. Thirdly, understanding collocations improves your comprehension.
When you encounter collocations in reading or listening, you will be able to understand their meaning more quickly and easily.
Moreover, collocations enhance your vocabulary. By learning collocations, you are not just learning individual words, but also how those words work together to create meaning.
This can help you expand your overall vocabulary and improve your ability to express yourself in a more precise and nuanced way. Finally, using collocations can improve your score on English language proficiency tests, such as IELTS or TOEFL, where natural and accurate language use is highly valued.
Collocations with ‘Take’: An Overview
The verb ‘take’ is one of the most versatile verbs in the English language, and it combines with a wide variety of nouns, adverbs, and prepositions to form numerous collocations. These collocations cover a broad range of meanings and contexts, from actions and decisions to responsibilities and opportunities.
Mastering these collocations will significantly enhance your ability to communicate effectively and accurately in English.
Some common categories of collocations with ‘take’ include: take + action/decision, take + care/responsibility, take + advantage/opportunity, take + time/duration, take + place/position, and take + away/from. Each of these categories includes a variety of specific collocations with distinct meanings and usage rules. In the following sections, we will explore each of these categories in detail, providing examples, usage rules, and practice exercises to help you master these essential collocations.
Structural Breakdown of ‘Take’ Collocations
Collocations with ‘take’ typically follow a few basic structural patterns. The most common pattern is ‘take + noun’, where ‘take’ is followed by a noun phrase. This pattern can express a wide range of actions, decisions, and states. For example, “take a break,” “take a look,” and “take responsibility” all follow this pattern.
Another common pattern is ‘take + adverb’, where ‘take’ is modified by an adverb. This pattern often expresses how something is done or how someone behaves. For example, “take something seriously” and “take something personally” follow this pattern.
A third pattern is ‘take + prepositional phrase’, where ‘take’ is followed by a prepositional phrase. This pattern often expresses where something is taken or from where. For example, “take something from someone” and “take something to a place” follow this pattern.
Understanding these basic structural patterns can help you recognize and use collocations with ‘take’ more effectively. By paying attention to the grammatical structure of these collocations, you can improve your ability to understand and use them correctly in various contexts.
Types of Collocations with ‘Take’
Collocations with ‘take’ can be categorized based on the type of noun, adverb, or prepositional phrase that follows the verb. Here are some of the most common categories:
Take + Action/Decision
This category includes collocations where ‘take’ is followed by a noun that represents an action or decision. These collocations often express the idea of performing an action or making a choice.
Examples include “take action,” “take a decision,” “take a step,” and “take a risk.”
Take + Care/Responsibility
This category includes collocations where ‘take’ is followed by a noun that represents care or responsibility. These collocations often express the idea of looking after someone or something or being accountable for something.
Examples include “take care,” “take responsibility,” “take charge,” and “take control.”
Take + Advantage/Opportunity
This category includes collocations where ‘take’ is followed by a noun that represents an advantage or opportunity. These collocations often express the idea of making use of something beneficial.
Examples include “take advantage,” “take the opportunity,” “take the chance,” and “take the initiative.”
Take + Time/Duration
This category includes collocations where ‘take’ is followed by a noun that represents time or duration. These collocations often express the idea of spending time or requiring a certain amount of time.
Examples include “take time,” “take a while,” “take an hour,” and “take a moment.”
Take + Place/Position
This category includes collocations where ‘take’ is followed by a noun that represents a place or position. These collocations often express the idea of occupying a place or position or occurring in a certain location.
Examples include “take place,” “take a seat,” “take the lead,” and “take office.”
Take + Away/From
This category includes collocations where ‘take’ is followed by ‘away’ or ‘from’, often indicating removal or subtraction. These phrases can refer to physical removal or abstract concepts like deducting points.
Examples include “take away,” “take from,” “take something away from,” and “take someone away.”
Examples of Collocations with ‘Take’
Here are some examples of collocations with ‘take,’ organized by category:
Examples with ‘Take + Action/Decision’
The following table provides examples of collocations using ‘take’ with actions or decisions. Each example illustrates how ‘take’ combines with different nouns to create meaningful phrases related to initiating activities or making choices.
| Collocation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Take action | The government must take action to address climate change. |
| Take a decision | It’s time to take a decision about your future career. |
| Take a step | We need to take a step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. |
| Take a risk | Sometimes you have to take a risk to achieve your goals. |
| Take a chance | I decided to take a chance and apply for the job. |
| Take the initiative | If you want to succeed, you need to take the initiative and be proactive. |
| Take control | After the accident, she had to take control of her life again. |
| Take charge | When the manager left, he had to take charge of the team. |
| Take responsibility | You must take responsibility for your actions. |
| Take measures | The company needs to take measures to improve safety. |
| Take steps | The school is taking steps to prevent bullying. |
| Take precautions | It’s important to take precautions when traveling to unfamiliar places. |
| Take the blame | He bravely decided to take the blame for his friend’s mistake. |
| Take a stand | We must take a stand against injustice. |
| Take a firm stance | The president is expected to take a firm stance on the issue. |
| Take a tough line | The police are taking a tough line on crime. |
| Take a different approach | We need to take a different approach to solving this problem. |
| Take a calculated risk | Entrepreneurs often take a calculated risk to start a business. |
| Take immediate action | The situation requires us to take immediate action. |
| Take decisive action | The leader must take decisive action in times of crisis. |
| Take preventative action | It’s always better to take preventative action than to react after the fact. |
| Take disciplinary action | The company will take disciplinary action against employees who violate the rules. |
| Take legal action | If they don’t pay, we will have to take legal action. |
Examples with ‘Take + Care/Responsibility’
The following table illustrates collocations that combine ‘take’ with terms related to care and responsibility. These examples demonstrate how ‘take’ is used to express the act of looking after someone, assuming accountability, or managing situations.
| Collocation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Take care | Take care of yourself while you’re traveling. |
| Take responsibility | He had to take responsibility for his mistakes. |
| Take charge | She decided to take charge of the project. |
| Take control | It’s important to take control of your finances. |
| Take the lead | He decided to take the lead in the negotiations. |
| Take the helm | After the CEO retired, she had to take the helm of the company. |
| Take custody | The court ordered that she take custody of her children. |
| Take guardianship | After her parents passed away, her aunt decided to take guardianship of her. |
| Take an interest | He decided to take an interest in environmental issues. |
| Take pride | She takes pride in her work. |
| Take ownership | Employees are encouraged to take ownership of their projects. |
| Take charge of your life | It’s time to take charge of your life and make positive changes. |
| Take care of your health | You need to take care of your health by eating well and exercising. |
| Take care of business | Let’s take care of business before we leave for the day. |
| Take care of the environment | We all need to take care of the environment for future generations. |
| Take responsibility for your actions | You must take responsibility for your actions and face the consequences. |
| Take the blame for | He decided to take the blame for the accident, even though it wasn’t his fault. |
| Take a personal interest | The teacher took a personal interest in helping the struggling student. |
| Take someone under your wing | The experienced employee decided to take the new recruit under their wing. |
| Take pains to | She takes pains to ensure that everything is perfect. |
| Take steps to ensure | The company is taking steps to ensure the safety of its employees. |
| Take the initiative to improve | He took the initiative to improve the efficiency of the process. |
| Take full responsibility | The CEO took full responsibility for the company’s failure. |
Examples with ‘Take + Advantage/Opportunity’
This table provides examples of collocations where ‘take’ combines with nouns representing advantages or opportunities. These examples illustrate how ‘take’ is used to express leveraging opportunities, capitalizing on benefits, or utilizing available resources.
| Collocation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Take advantage | Don’t let anyone take advantage of you. |
| Take the opportunity | I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for your hard work. |
| Take the chance | If you get the chance, you should take the chance to travel. |
| Take the initiative | He decided to take the initiative and start his own business. |
| Take advantage of the situation | Some companies take advantage of the situation to raise prices. |
| Take advantage of the offer | We should take advantage of the offer before it expires. |
| Take advantage of the discount | You should take advantage of the discount while it lasts. |
| Take advantage of the resources | Students should take advantage of the resources available at the library. |
| Take opportunities | Young people should be encouraged to take opportunities to learn new skills. |
| Take every opportunity | She takes every opportunity to improve her skills. |
| Take a golden opportunity | This is a golden opportunity that you shouldn’t miss. |
| Take advantage of someone’s weakness | It’s unethical to take advantage of someone’s weakness. |
| Take advantage of the good weather | Let’s take advantage of the good weather and go for a hike. |
| Take advantage of the free trial | You can take advantage of the free trial to test the software. |
| Take advantage of the knowledge | We should take advantage of the knowledge and experience of our senior colleagues. |
| Take a strategic advantage | The company is trying to take a strategic advantage over its competitors. |
| Take the high ground | In a dispute, it’s always better to take the high ground. |
| Take the upper hand | The negotiator tried to take the upper hand in the discussion. |
| Take the bull by the horns | He decided to take the bull by the horns and address the problem directly. |
| Take the wind out of someone’s sails | The bad news took the wind out of her sails. |
| Take a front seat | She decided to take a front seat in the lecture. |
| Take center stage | The new product took center stage at the conference. |
| Take the stage | The band is ready to take the stage and perform. |
Examples with ‘Take + Time/Duration’
This table illustrates collocations that combine ‘take’ with terms related to time or duration. These examples demonstrate how ‘take’ is used to express the duration of activities, the allocation of time, or the passage of time in various contexts.
| Collocation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Take time | It takes time to learn a new language. |
| Take a while | It might take a while to complete the project. |
| Take an hour | The meeting will take an hour. |
| Take a moment | Please take a moment to fill out this survey. |
| Take a break | We should take a break after working for two hours. |
| Take a day off | I’m going to take a day off to relax. |
| Take a vacation | We’re planning to take a vacation next month. |
| Take your time | There’s no rush, take your time. |
| Take some time off | I need to take some time off to recharge. |
| Take up time | This task will take up a lot of time. |
| Take a long time | It takes a long time to build a successful business. |
| Take a short time | It will only take a short time to finish the report. |
| Take a few minutes | Can I take a few minutes of your time? |
| Take ages | It takes ages to get through the traffic. |
| Take forever | It feels like it’s taking forever to finish this project. |
| Take a gap year | She decided to take a gap year before starting university. |
| Take time to reflect | It’s important to take time to reflect on your experiences. |
| Take time to relax | You need to take time to relax and de-stress. |
| Take the time to learn | He took the time to learn the new software. |
| Take the time to read | I always take the time to read before going to bed. |
| Take the time to listen | Good leaders take the time to listen to their employees. |
| Take time off work | She had to take time off work to care for her sick child. |
| Take time out | We should take time out for fun activities. |
Examples with ‘Take + Place/Position’
This table showcases collocations that combine ‘take’ with nouns representing places or positions. These examples illustrate how ‘take’ is used to express occupancy, location, or the act of assuming a particular role or standing.
| Collocation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Take place | The meeting will take place in the conference room. |
| Take a seat | Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable. |
| Take the lead | She decided to take the lead in the project. |
| Take office | The new president will take office next month. |
| Take a position | He decided to take a position on the issue. |
| Take a stand | We need to take a stand against injustice. |
| Take center stage | The new product will take center stage at the conference. |
| Take the stage | The band is ready to take the stage and perform. |
| Take its toll | The stress of the job began to take its toll on his health. |
| Take root | The idea began to take root in her mind. |
| Take shape | The project is starting to take shape. |
| Take effect | The new law will take effect next year. |
| Take hold | The virus has begun to take hold in the community. |
| Take flight | The birds took flight as we approached. |
| Take the floor | The speaker took the floor and addressed the audience. |
| Take the helm | The new CEO took the helm of the company. |
| Take a back seat | He decided to take a back seat in the project. |
| Take a front seat | She wanted to take a front seat at the concert. |
| Take command | The general took command of the troops. |
| Take precedence | Safety must take precedence over all other considerations. |
| Take over | The larger company decided to take over the smaller one. |
| Take the reins | The new manager took the reins of the department. |
| Take pride of place | The trophy takes pride of place on the shelf. |
Examples with ‘Take + Away/From’
This table provides examples of collocations where ‘take’ is used with ‘away’ or ‘from.’ These examples illustrate how ‘take’ can express removal, subtraction, or the act of depriving someone of something, whether physically or abstractly.
| Collocation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Take away | Please take away the dirty dishes. |
| Take from | You can’t take from the poor to give to the rich. |
| Take something away from | The accident took something away from him. |
| Take someone away | The police took him away for questioning. |
| Take away the pain | The medicine helped to take away the pain. |
| Take away the stress | A vacation can take away the stress. |
| Take away from the experience | His rudeness took away from the experience. |
| Take something away from the meeting | What did you take away from the meeting? |
| Take the focus away | The scandal took the focus away from the real issues. |
| Take the heat off | His apology took the heat off the situation. |
| Take a load off | Sit down and take a load off. |
| Take someone’s breath away | The view took my breath away. |
| Take the edge off | A drink can take the edge off the stress. |
| Take something off your hands | Let me take that off your hands. |
| Take a step back from | He decided to take a step back from the project. |
| Take out of context | His words were taken out of context. |
| Take it or leave it | This is my final offer, take it or leave it. |
| Take out on someone | Don’t take your anger out on me. |
| Take down | The police had to take down the criminal. |
| Take apart | He decided to take apart the engine to see what was wrong. |
| Take off | The plane will take off in an hour. |
| Take someone’s life | The disease took his life at a young age. |
| Take the bait | He took the bait and fell for the scam. |
Usage Rules for Collocations with ‘Take’
When using collocations with ‘take,’ it is important to pay attention to the grammatical context and the specific meaning you want to convey. Here are some general usage rules:
- Use the correct form of ‘take.’ The verb ‘take’ can be used in various tenses (e.g., take, took, taken, taking) depending on the context. Make sure to use the correct tense to match the time frame of your sentence.
- Pay attention to the noun. The noun that follows ‘take’ is crucial for determining the meaning of the collocation. Choose the noun carefully to express the specific action, decision, or state you want to describe.
- Consider the context. The context of your sentence or conversation can also affect the meaning of the collocation. Pay attention to the surrounding words and phrases to ensure that the collocation is used appropriately.
- Be aware of exceptions. Some collocations with ‘take’ may have slightly different meanings or usage rules than others. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the specific nuances of each collocation.
For example, while we say “take a picture,” we don’t say “take a photo” (though “take a photograph” is acceptable). Instead, we say “take a photo of.” These subtle differences highlight the importance of learning and using collocations correctly.
Common Mistakes with ‘Take’ Collocations
One common mistake is using the wrong verb with a particular noun. For example, saying “do a decision” instead of “take a decision.” While “do” and “take” can both express actions, “take” is the correct verb to use with “decision.”
Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition. For example, saying “take advantage from” instead of “take advantage of.” The preposition “of” is essential for this collocation to have the correct meaning.
It is important to memorize the correct prepositions for each collocation.
Here are some examples of common mistakes and their corrections:
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| Do a decision | Take a decision |
| Take advantage from | Take advantage of |
| Make care | Take care |
| Take responsibility of | Take responsibility for |
| Take action about | Take action on |
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding of collocations with ‘take’ with these practice exercises:
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks with the correct collocation with ‘take’:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. The company needs to _____ to improve safety. | take measures |
| 2. You must _____ for your actions. | take responsibility |
| 3. Please _____ and make yourself comfortable. | take a seat |
| 4. We should _____ of the offer before it expires. | take advantage |
| 5. It _____ to learn a new language. | takes time |
| 6. The meeting will _____ in the conference room. | take place |
| 7. Please _____ the dirty dishes. | take away |
| 8. She decided to _____ in the project. | take the lead |
| 9. He had to _____ for his mistakes. | take responsibility |
| 10. Don’t let anyone _____ of you. | take advantage |
Exercise 2: Correct the Errors
Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. He did a decision to quit his job. | He took a decision to quit his job. |
| 2. You should make care of your health. | You should take care of your health. |
| 3. They are taking action about the issue. | They are taking action on the issue. |
| 4. She must take responsibility of her actions. | She must take responsibility for her actions. |
| 5. The meeting will do place tomorrow. | The meeting will take place tomorrow. |
Exercise 3: Sentence Construction
Construct sentences using the following collocations with ‘take’:
- Take a break:
- Take action:
- Take advantage of:
- Take responsibility:
- Take place:
Advanced Topics: Nuances and Idiomatic Expressions
Beyond the basic collocations, ‘take’ appears in many idiomatic expressions that add color and depth to the English language. These expressions often have meanings that are not immediately obvious from the individual words, requiring a deeper understanding of context and cultural usage.
For instance, “take something with a grain of salt” means not to fully believe something you are told. “Take the wind out of someone’s sails” means to discourage someone or make them feel less confident.
“Take the bull by the horns” means to confront a difficult situation with courage and determination.
Understanding these nuances and idiomatic expressions can significantly enhance your comprehension and fluency in English. It’s advisable to explore these expressions through literature, movies, and conversations with native speakers to grasp their full meaning and usage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is it important to learn collocations?
Learning collocations is crucial for sounding natural and fluent in English. It helps you avoid grammatical errors and improves your overall comprehension and vocabulary.
How can I improve my knowledge of collocations?
You can improve your knowledge of collocations by reading extensively, listening to native speakers, using collocation dictionaries, and practicing regularly through exercises and real-life conversations.
Are collocations fixed phrases?
No, collocations are not necessarily fixed phrases. They can be flexible, allowing for variations in tense, number, and other grammatical features.
The key is to use combinations of words that sound natural and are commonly used together.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when using collocations with ‘take’?
Common mistakes include using the wrong verb with a particular noun (e.g., “do a decision” instead of “take a decision”) and using the wrong preposition (e.g., “take advantage from” instead of “take advantage of”).
How can I practice using collocations with ‘take’?
You can practice using collocations with ‘take’ by doing fill-in-the-blank exercises, correcting errors in sentences, constructing your own sentences using specific collocations, and engaging in conversations with native speakers.
Conclusion
Mastering collocations with ‘take’ is an essential step towards achieving fluency and accuracy in English. By understanding the different types of collocations, usage rules, and common mistakes, you can significantly improve your ability to communicate effectively and naturally.
Remember to practice regularly and pay attention to the context in which collocations are used. With dedication and effort, you can confidently use ‘take’ collocations in various situations, enhancing your overall English language skills.
Keep exploring, keep practicing, and enjoy the journey of mastering the English language!