Meaning trap
take in
deceive
to trick or deceive someone so that they believe something that is not true
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to trick or deceive someone so that they believe something that is not true
Another meaning of 'take in' is 'understand or absorb'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- She was completely taken in by the scam and lost a lot of money.communication
- Some people are easily taken in by advertisements that make false promises.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: take in someone | take someone in
WrongHe took in me with his story.
RightI was taken in by his story.
Usually passive — 'be taken in BY' someone or something.
Patterntake in someone | take someone in
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Be taken in' is the natural way to say you were fooled; 'deceived by his false promises' is formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
be taken in + byby the scamby his charmcompletelyby a con artist
Don't confuse it
'Take in' here is about being fooled, not about understanding or learning.
Related
- take in (understand or absorb) — Another meaning of 'take in' is 'understand or absorb'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.