Confused with "take up" and "take on"

[nybinh]

It might be due to the way I asked the questions that made someone think this is homework and closed my thread.
This question is taken from my teacher, also my collegue in my school. We do not agree with the use of "take up" and "take on" in this case because we did look them up in Oxford Dictionary and we are still confused. This question is from a book in Vietnam and we want to give the correct answer to our students because our English is still very limited.
I chose B based on my "feeling" that people take up something challenging, but my colleague thinks that people take on responsibilities, just like this question asks.
Please help me with this. Thank you.
You looked exhausted. I think you've ---- more than you can handle.
A. turned on
B. taken up
C. turned up
D. taken on

 

[emsr2d2]

I was the one that closed your other thread. You're right - the way you worded it made it look like homework. However, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Your colleague is right. The correct answer in this sentence is D. We take on responsibilities, roles, tasks, jobs, etc.

Here's a useful bit of extra English for you - another way of saying that is "You've bitten off more than you can chew".

I do have one other question, though. You joined this site in September 2008 but have just posted your second thread. Where have you been for 14 years?!

 

[jutfrank]

As emsr2d2 says, your colleague is right. The phrasal verb take on means something like 'accept' in this sense. The person is exhausted because they have consciously agreed to do more work than they are practically able to do, and now they are battling with it.

Like take up, we also use take on in the sense of accepting a challenge. However, you can use take on only when the object of the phrasal verb is the thing to be fought:

If you take him on, you'll lose badly.
Real Madrid is going to take on Liverpool in the final.

The verb take up is not possible in the above sentences.

The phrasal verb take up collocates with the challenge itself, not the thing you're fighting. In the original example, the extra work is the thing to be fought, not the challenge.

 

[nybinh]

I was the one that closed your other thread. You're right - the way you worded it made it look like homework. However, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Your colleague is right. The correct answer in this sentence is D. We take on responsibilities, roles, tasks, jobs, etc.

Here's a useful bit of extra English for you - another way of saying that is "You've bitten off more than you can chew".

I do have one other question, though. You joined this site in September 2008 but have just posted your second thread. Where have you been for 14 years?!

Thank you very much. It’s interesting when you ask about my past 14 years. The first time I created the account here was also the day I graduated from University of Education. Then I continued teaching english for Vietnamese students and also persued my Master degree. I've visited this website a lot but mostly for language reference and read the some useful stuff in the forum. Today I decided to join with you to learn more and hope to improve my English.
Thank you very much for your help.

 

[nybinh]

As emsr2d2 says, your colleague is right. The phrasal verb take on means something like 'accept' in this sense. The person is exhausted because they have consciously agreed to do more work than they are practically able to do, and now they are battling with it.

Like take up, we also use take on in the sense of accepting a challenge. However, you can use take on only when the object of the phrasal verb is the thing to be fought:

If you take him on, you'll lose badly.
Real Madrid is going to take on Liverpool in the final.

The verb take up is not possible in the above sentences.

The phrasal verb take up collocates with the challenge itself, not the thing you're fighting. In the original example, the extra work is the thing to be fought, not the challenge.

Thank you very much. I've learned a lot today.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you very much. It’s interesting when you ask about my past 14 years. The first time I created the account here was also the day I graduated from University of Education. Then I continued teaching english for Vietnamese students and also persued my Master degree. I've visited this website a lot but mostly for language reference and read the some useful stuff in the forum. Today I decided to join with you to learn more and hope to improve my English.
Thank you very much for your help.

That's probably the longest gap between joining and posting that we've ever had!

We would be grateful if you would go to your member profile and complete your native language, home country and current location so that we have the same information for you that we have for everyone else. Thanks.

 

[Tarheel]

@nybinh Try:

You look exhausted. I think you've taken on more than you can handle.

I don't think past tense ("looked") works there at all.

 

[emsr2d2]

You look exhausted. I think you've taken on more than you can handle.

I don't think past tense ("looked") works there at all.

It's fine if the people involved met up earlier in the day and this conversation is taking place later. "You looked exhausted [when I saw you]."