hand over a task to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hand over a task to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to indicate that you are transferring responsibility for a task to someone else. Example: "I will hand over the task to Sarah, as she has more experience with this project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Despite promises by David Cameron and the former justice secretary, Ken Clarke, that investigations would be continued by an independent, judge-led inquiry, the government told the Commons on Thursday that it had handed over the task to the intelligence and security committee of selected MPs and peers.

The Guardian

Once the elements of the learning process were planned, the facilitator handed over the task to the students, who took responsibility for their learning.

International Journal for Educational Integrity

Small businesses, however, are in a tough position when it comes to finding the best tax help because most cannot afford to have someone on staff full time, and many are so consumed by day-to-day operations that they blindly hand over tax compliance tasks to outsiders.

The New York Times

She withdrew from the case, and it was handed over to a task force of the Justice Department that had been set up to investigate campaign-financing abuses that emerged from the 1996 election.

The New York Times

LONDON — The British banking lobby responsible for setting Libor said it was happy to hand over the task to regulators, days ahead of an expected U.K. proposal to take tighter control of the scandal-tainted benchmark borrowing rate.

The Washington Post

Scotland Yard's extradition squad, which currently oversees all extradition requests to European countries, will hand over the task to forces across the country, prompting concerns within the police forces and the legal community that the inexperience of forces outside London will add to the burden on the system.

The Guardian

The top American negotiator, Frank E. Loy, visibly tired and rubbing his forehead and eyes, agreed that the effort should continue, even when he and the Clinton administration would be handing over the task to a new administration.

The New York Times

What you learn may convince you that your relationship with the problem employee is dysfunctional beyond repair, at which point you should abandon the method and hand over the motivation task to someone else.

Harvard Business Review

But as interest grew, the family handed over the task to professionals.

The New York Times - Magazine

A preliminary operational plan had actually been completed in March, but was kept so tightly under wraps that when Abrams handed over the task to General Michael Davison, commander of the II Field Force, he was not informed about the previous planning and started a new one from scratch.

Wikipedia

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer said it was important for the city to pick a firm before handing it over to a task force to work out the wants and needs of the park's new direction.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hand over a task to", ensure the context clearly indicates who is relinquishing the task and who is receiving it to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

While "hand over a task to" is generally acceptable, consider the formality of your writing. In highly formal contexts, using "delegate a task to" or "assign a task to" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hand over a task to" functions as a phrasal verb indicating the transfer of responsibility or duty from one party to another. It signifies a shift in accountability and management of a specific task. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hand over a task to" is a grammatically sound and understandable way to express the act of transferring responsibility for a task. It's considered usable in written English according to Ludwig AI. While generally neutral, the level of formality may warrant considering alternatives like "delegate" or "assign" in more professional contexts. It is used across various fields, with its frequency being classified as uncommon and the Ludwig examples demonstrate consistent use across News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delegate a task to

Implies a formal assignment of responsibility; emphasizes authority.

turn over a task to

Similar to hand over, but might suggest a more complete relinquishment.

assign a task to

Similar to delegate, but can be less formal; focuses on allocation.

entrust a task to

Suggests a high degree of trust in the recipient's ability.

pass a task on to

Indicates a transfer in a less formal or structured setting.

transfer a task to

Focuses on the act of moving a task from one person to another.

allocate a task to

Emphasizes the structured distribution of tasks within a team or organization.

give a task to

A simple, direct way of stating the assignment of work.

cede a task to

Implies relinquishing control or authority over the task.

relegate a task to

Indicates assigning the task to someone of lower status or authority.

FAQs

What does "hand over a task to" mean?

The phrase "hand over a task to" means to transfer responsibility for a specific job or duty from one person or group to another. It implies a relinquishing of control by the original party and an acceptance of responsibility by the new party.

What can I say instead of "hand over a task to"?

You can use alternatives like "delegate a task to", "assign a task to", or "transfer a task to" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "hand over a task to"?

It's appropriate to use "hand over a task to" when you want to emphasize the act of transferring responsibility, particularly when the task was previously managed by someone else. It works well in both formal and informal contexts.

Is "hand over a task to someone" the same as "delegate a task to someone"?

While similar, "delegate a task to" often implies a more formal assignment of authority and responsibility, whereas "hand over a task to" can be more general and simply indicate a transfer of duties.