take over — take control
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
To start being in charge of something, like a business, project, or situation.
Say it like a native
Textbook She assumed control of the department.
Native She took over the department.
'Take over' is the everyday verb for starting to run something; 'assumed control of' is formal/official.
Pattern: take over (something)
In use
- After the manager left, Sarah took over the project.work
- In my opinion, when a new company takes over an old one, it can bring fresh ideas and improve efficiency.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ She took over from the project.
✓ She took over the project. / She took over from her boss.
'Take over' + the thing; 'take over FROM' the person you replace.
Common collocations
take over + thing/role— the business, the project, from someone, as manager
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'take on', which means to accept responsibility, not control.
Related
- take over (replace someone in a role) — Another meaning of 'take over' is 'replace someone in a role'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.