Phrasal Verb Fun

take off
Before the twentieth century it was incredibly difficult for humans to take
themselves
off
the ground and into the air. But two American geniuses,
called the Wright brothers, changed all that. In 1903 they made a machine
that took itself off the ground with one of the brothers in it.
That machine, the world's first successful airplane, took off and later
landed safely. And now, thousands of airplanes are taking off every hour
all round the world.
Two-word verb without an object
No problem.

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take on
When Don's mother died, his father didn't want to take on the care of his
three children. So they all went to different homes.
As so often,
on
here means ‘continuity’ - think of
carry on
and
go on
- so if
you take something on, it could be for a long time. Maybe it is a great
responsibility, a heavy obligation. You take
on
a responsibility, a duty, an
obligation.
Another common meaning is to take on somebody which means 'to
employ them'. This is also a responsibility.
Mr Nightingale opened his new bar and so he took on ten people.
Notice the difference with
take up
, which is light. You take up a hobby,
which you can drop any time.
Separable two-word verb
. Be careful.
take out
Literally, to take something out implies 'take it out of this room' for
example. You take the rubbish out for the dustman to collect.
But, in the 60s in Vietnam, I think, this verb's meaning got a sinister new
extension. To take someone out meant to take them out of the way, to kill
them.
Separable two-word verb
. Be careful.
take over
When his father retired, Mr Arbuthnot Jr took over the family business.
In any organisation, the people
over
you are the people in charge of you.
To take charge means to take the responsibility. Take over means exactly
the same thing.
Separable two-word verb
. Be careful.
take to
I took to Beatrice the first time we met. We are really good friends now.
When we take to somebody, we take a liking to them. We like them,
easily and quickly.
Inseparable two-word verb
No problem.

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take up
Don's wife is delighted. Since he took up gardening, he has not only lost
ten kilos, but the garden is looking much better.
Where
take on
is heavy, Take up is light. It’s easy to take things
up
. You
can always put them down again. You take up a new hobby, a new
interest.
Separable two-word verb
. Be careful.
take it up with
This
up
is talking to authority.
You have a problem with working ten hours a week for no extra? Take it
up with your boss.
Separable three-word verb
. Unusual. Take note.
talk
(talk, talked, talked)
What we humans do when we have something to say.
Talk is very similar to speak, but there is the sense of more words. In
many expressions you can use both words.
Gemma's talking on the phone.
Gemma's speaking on the phone.
These mean exactly the same.
Gemma talks a lot.
Lots of words.
The main time we use speak and not talk is a language.
Charlie speaks good Russian.