she would take on student debt rather than experience the 'loneliness'

[sitifan]

I asked Duffman what she would suggest for a student starting university. She responded that if she were to do it again, she would take on student debt rather than experience the 'loneliness' she had felt.
https://books.google.com.tw/books?id=CThxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA27&dq="+take+on+student+debt"&hl=zh-TW&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi975vj-p37AhVUA94KHb3gAa0Q6AF6BAgMEAI#v=onepage&q=" take on student debt"&f=false
Is the word "on" a preposition or an adverb in the above passage?

 

[Barque]

An adverb. She said she'd take [the burden of] debt onto herself. "Take on" in this context means accepting and performing a task or obligation.

It wouldn't make sense as a preposition there. She'd take what on student debt?

 

[5jj]

Some schools of grammar have extended the preposition class, and would classify ‘on' there as a preposition.

 

[jutfrank]

If you're worried about describing it to your students, call it a 'particle'. It's part of the phrasal verb.