Take control means to start managing or directing something, to take charge. What you start to control is added with of: take control of the project, take control of your life. Without an object, it is used when a person or team starts to dominate a game: we took control in the second half.
Want to remember take control?
Write a sentence — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
take control of + noun; take control (no object); be in control of + noun; get + noun + under control
- When our team leader got sick, Olga took control of the project and kept it on schedule.
- I downloaded a budgeting app to take control of my spending.
- Our team took control in the second half and scored twice.
What changed
First versionAfter moving abroad, she decided to take her finances under control.
RevisionAfter moving abroad, she decided to take control of her finances.
Take under control mixes up two different patterns: take control of and get something under control. After take, English uses control of + what you start to manage: take control of her finances.
Under control does exist in English, but with other verbs: get the fire under control, keep your emotions under control. Be in control describes a state rather than a moment: She is in control of the budget means the budget is in her hands.
Your turn
Our captain got injured, so the vice-captain ___ control of the team for the rest of the match.
Show the answer
took — The captain is out, and the vice-captain is only now starting to lead the team, so took control is correct. Kept would mean he already had control, which contradicts the situation.
Think of a time you took charge of a situation at work, in your studies or on a trip. Describe what went wrong and what you started to manage, using take control of.
Our tour guide got lost in Rome, so I took control of the route and led the group back to the hotel using the map on my phone.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.