Lesson 3 of 125 min read
Take, Give & Have
Common verbs appear in many useful phrases. The noun and the situation supply the precise meaning, so learn the whole expression rather than translating the verb literally.
Understand the pattern
Take responsibility means accept responsibility, not physically remove it. Give permission means allow an action, and have access means be able or entitled to use something. These frequent verbs help build clear sentences, but their meanings depend on the nouns and structures around them.
Watch the next preposition. Take responsibility for a task, give advice to someone, and have access to a building are complete patterns. Responsibility does not become a different idea if the subject changes, but the verb form does: she takes responsibility; they took responsibility. Practise both the stable phrase and the changing grammar.
Several combinations may be correct while conveying different stages of an event. Have an opportunity means the opportunity exists for you; take an opportunity means act on it. Give someone an opportunity describes creating that chance for another person. Identify the participants and the action before selecting a phrase.
Language in context
| Word or pattern | Meaning or use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| take responsibility for | Accept a duty or accountability | I will take responsibility for checking the forms. |
| give permission to | Allow someone to act | The supervisor gave us permission to leave early. |
| have access to | Be able or entitled to use | Residents have access to a shared workspace. |
| take part in | Participate | Several students took part in the discussion. |
Worked example
Reason through the choice
Complete: The new scheme gives students the opportunity ___ work with local employers.
Answer: To.
The pattern is an opportunity to do something. The scheme provides the chance; the sentence does not say that every student uses it. Keep that distinction if you later summarise the scheme's results.
Try it yourself
Write your answers before opening the key. For open responses, the suggested answer is one possible version; keep the meaning and check the target pattern.
- Complete: Staff have access ___ the booking system.
- Rewrite I participated in the workshop using part.
- Does having an opportunity prove that someone took it?
Check answers and explanations
1. To. Store access to as part of the noun phrase, not just access by itself.
2. I took part in the workshop. Take part in expresses participation; took matches the past time.
3. No. An available chance and acting on that chance are different claims.
Use it in your PTE preparation
PTE Academic
When explaining a policy or programme, distinguish access, participation and results. A course that gives access to resources has not necessarily improved everyone's performance. Use the phrase whose meaning matches the evidence.
PTE Core
These patterns help with requests and explanations: Could you give me permission to…, I can take responsibility for…, and I do not have access to…. Add the specific task or resource so the recipient can respond.
Recall and transfer
Describe one team task using all three verbs. Say who has the necessary resource, who gives permission and who takes responsibility. Check each preposition, then change the description into the past tense.