took it over

USAGE SUMMARY

"took it over" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
"Take it over" is a phrasal verb that means to assume control or responsibility for something. It is often used in the context of a transfer of ownership or leadership. Here are some examples: 1. The company's new CEO took over the reins from the previous leader. 2. My brother asked me to take over the family business when he retires. 3. The government took over the failing airline to prevent it from going bankrupt. 4. She took over as editor-in-chief after the previous editor's resignation. 5. We need someone to take over the project while I'm on maternity leave.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They took it over in 1960.

The New York Times

They even took it over for summer volunteer clerks".

The New Yorker

I remember when Daimler took it over, in 1999.

The New Yorker

took it over recently from the Board of Health.

The New Yorker

I ran an organization, which when I took it over had under one hundred people.

University of California, Berkeley

We took it over, made it a division of Campus Apartments and renamed it Campus Technologies.

The New York Times

The UN took it over in 1988 and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change was born.

The New York Times

When they took it over, the Turanos went far beyond patching the holes.

The New York Times

iStar Financial took it over during the downturn when sales were slow.

The New York Times

Then that solo instrument came back and then on the repeat the strings took it over again.

Yale University

Fiat bought it in 1993 and Ferrari took it over in 1997.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "took it over" to express that someone or a group of people is now in charge of something.

Common error

Avoid using "took it over" when the subject only assumed partial responsibility. Reserve this phrase for situations where complete control or ownership was transferred.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "took it over" functions as a phrasal verb expressing the action of assuming control or responsibility. Ludwig confirms this by providing examples across various contexts where a subject actively gains control over something previously managed by another.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Academia

28%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Science

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "took it over" is a commonly used phrasal verb that means to assume control or responsibility. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically correct and appears frequently in news, academic, and wiki sources. While generally neutral, the specific context may demand more formal alternatives like "assumed control of" or "acquired leadership of". When using the phrase, ensure the context makes it clear what "it" refers to and that the subject has indeed gained complete control, not just partial responsibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seized control of

Emphasizes a forceful or sudden taking of control.

assumed control of

Focuses on the act of gaining control, omitting the prior state.

became the new head of

A more formal way of saying someone became the leader.

took command of

Implies a position of leadership or authority.

acquired leadership of

Specifically refers to becoming a leader.

gained possession of

Highlights the acquisition of ownership.

inherited responsibility for

Suggests a passing down of duties.

superseded

Implies replacing something or someone else.

usurped power over

Connotes seizing power illegitimately.

supplanted

Focuses on replacing something with something else, often more effectively.

FAQs

What does "took it over" mean?

The phrase "took it over" means to assume control or responsibility for something previously managed by someone else. It implies a transfer of authority or ownership.

Which is more appropriate, "took it over" or "took over"?

Both "took it over" and "took over" are grammatically correct, but "took it over" is used when the object is already mentioned. Otherwise, you can directly use "took over".

How can I use "took it over" in a sentence?

You can use "took it over" in a sentence like, "After the merger, the larger company took it over." This indicates the larger company assumed control of the merged entity.

Are there more formal alternatives to "took it over"?

Yes, formal alternatives include "assumed control of", "acquired leadership of", or "gained possession of". The choice depends on the specific context and the nature of the transfer.