ENGLISH
REFERENCE

take care of sb/sth/yourself

phr. v..
A2 Elementary Oxford

phr. v.. to look after someone or something so they stay safe, healthy, or in good condition; you also use it when you deal with a task.

phr. v.. to provide for the needs of a person or thing; to assume responsibility for the maintenance or completion of a task or situation.


SIMPLE

Please take care of yourself while you are traveling.

CONTEXTUAL

I need to take care of these bills before we go out for dinner.

COMPLEX

The local community took care of the historic garden for decades, ensuring that the rare plants survived several harsh winters.

Particles
care of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
take + care + of + object
Usage

the object can be a person, an animal, a physical object, or a responsibility.

Teaching tip

highlight the three distinct uses: physical care (babies), maintenance (cars), and task management (paying bills); it is more common in American English than 'look after'.

Pitfall

I will take care for the cat.I will take care of the cat.the preposition 'of' is required after 'care' in this specific phrasal verb construction.

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