pass the task on to

USAGE SUMMARY

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

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

President Bush's special envoy for Sudan, former Senator John C. Danforth, said in Khartoum that he would spend the next year trying to end the country's 18-year civil war but would pass the task on to someone else if the government and rebel groups failed to compromise soon.

The New York Times

When Mr. Wick Craig Fergusonn) is asked to look after Mrs. Lauder's (Nan Martin) prize-winning Hungarian Puli, he decides to pass the task on to his employee Drew (Drew Carey).

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The writer was asked by the Sawbwa to conduct his trial, but he passed the task on to an older secretary, who conducted the trial in primitive fashion.

The New Yorker

Benn attempted instead to pass the task of tackling climate change on to individuals taking "little steps" to address their personal carbon footprint.

The Guardian - Opinion

Now Laura has passed that task on -- to the DiCaprios; to Georges Borchardt; to Jonathan Kirsch; and to the team managing the literary trust: Jack Miles, Piero Ferrucci and myself.

Los Angeles Times

Because each processor in such a system is assigned to perform a specific function, it can perform its task, pass the instruction set on to the next processor, and begin working on a new set of instructions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

There were no differences between groups prescribed anticholinergics (n = 52) or not (n = 210) on passing the task (χ =.55, p =.457).

Biological Psychiatry

If you do the fourth, you will set up your subordinates to repeat these four things and thereby own their choices and their strategy, and pass on the task to the next layer of the company.

Harvard Business Review

With the moral arm-lock of a dying man, Al passes on the task to Jake.

The Guardian - Books

The agent passed it on to a younger assistant who was tasked with passing it around.

TechCrunch

In addition to calling on Congress to pass the legislation the Senate voted on, the task force's report, titled "#CultureUnderThreat," urged the White House to appoint a senior director to coordinate the government's actions against blood antiquities and to increase resources for stricter enforcements by customs officials, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "pass the task on to", ensure the context clearly indicates who is relinquishing the task and who is assuming it to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "pass the task on to" in highly formal or business communications; more professional alternatives like "delegate" or "assign" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pass the task on to" functions as a phrasal verb indicating the act of transferring a specific duty or responsibility to another person. Ludwig examples show it being used to describe delegation in both formal and informal contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pass the task on to" is a phrasal verb that means to delegate or transfer a responsibility to someone else. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct. However, it is relatively rare, with limited examples found across various contexts, including news, wikis, and scientific publications. While acceptable in general use, more formal settings may benefit from alternatives like "delegate" or "assign". When using "pass the task on to", clarity in who is relinquishing and assuming the task is key to avoid any ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delegate the task to

Replaces "pass" with "delegate", emphasizing formal assignment.

assign the responsibility to

Highlights the transfer of responsibility rather than just the task.

hand over the task to

Uses "hand over" to suggest a more direct transfer of the task.

transfer the task to

Emphasizes the act of transferring the task to someone else.

give the task to

A simpler, more informal way of saying "pass the task on to".

entrust the task to

Suggests a level of trust in the person receiving the task.

charge someone with the task

Implies giving someone official responsibility for the task.

defer the task to

Indicates a postponement of personal responsibility by assigning it to another.

shift the task to

Highlights the movement of the task from one person to another.

relegate the task to

Suggests assigning the task to someone of lower rank or importance.

FAQs

What does "pass the task on to" mean?

The phrase "pass the task on to" means to delegate a job or responsibility to someone else, transferring the duty of completing it from one person to another.

What are some alternatives to "pass the task on to"?

You can use alternatives like "delegate the task to", "assign the responsibility to", or "hand over the task to" depending on the context.

Is "pass the task on to" formal or informal?

"Pass the task on to" is generally considered more informal. In formal settings, alternatives such as "delegate the task to" or "assign the task to" might be more suitable.

How can I use "pass the task on to" in a sentence?

You can use it like this: "Since I am overwhelmed with projects, I will have to "pass the task on to" a colleague."