Cool MateIncrease vs Take it up
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Increase
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Take it up
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Increase
| Increase | Take it up | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈkriːs/","/ɪnˈkriːsɪz/","/ɪnˈkriːst/","/ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈkriːs/","/ɪnˈkriːsɪz/","/ɪnˈkriːst/","/ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //teɪk ɪt ʌp//🇺🇸 //teɪk ɪt ʌp// |
| Meaning | To make something larger in amount or size. | To raise or increase something, often in intensity or level. |
| Example | We need to increase our budget for the project. | I think we should take it up with the management during our meeting. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | considerably, dramatically, drastically, be expected to, be likely to, by, from, in | take it up a notch, take it up with someone, take it up in conversation |
| Antonyms | decrease, reduce, diminish | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'increases' as a noun instead of a verb., Confusing 'increase' with 'decrease' which has the opposite meaning., Incorrectly forming the past tense as 'increased' when it should be 'increased' without a change. | Confused with 'take up' meaning to begin a hobby or interest., Using 'take it up' in contexts where 'bring it up' is more appropriate., Incorrectly separating the phrasal verb, saying 'take it up' instead of 'take up'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'increase' in contexts involving growth, improvement, or enhancement. It is appropriate for both spoken and written English, but avoid in overly casual conversations where simpler words like 'go up' might be preferred. | Use this phrase when discussing raising an issue, topic, or skill. It's appropriate in both casual and professional contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Increase vs Take it up
What's the difference between Increase and Take it up?
Increase: To make something larger in amount or size. Take it up: To raise or increase something, often in intensity or level.
Which is more common: Increase and Take it up?
Increase is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Increase: We need to increase our budget for the project. Take it up: I think we should take it up with the management during our meeting.
Can I use Increase and Take it up interchangeably?
Not always. Increase and Take it up are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.