Some decisions involve possible harm, even when the outcome could be good.

The idea

Take a risk means act despite the possibility of harm or loss. Change take to took for the past.

Examples

  • Maya took a calculated risk when she opened her bakery.
  • The climbers refused to take an unnecessary risk in the storm.
  • Our team took a financial risk by investing in new equipment.
  • The artist took a creative risk with her first abstract painting.
  • Leo took a big risk when he left his job without another offer.
  • The coach took a small risk by changing the lineup before the match.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Avoid make a risk: the natural combination is take a risk.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the missing word. You can ___ a risk and apply for the role. (take / takes)

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    take

    take follows the modal can in its base form.

  2. Choose the missing word. They ___ a risk when they changed their route yesterday. (took / take)

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    took

    took fits the completed action yesterday.

  3. Choose the missing word. We decided to take ___ risk on the new idea. (a / an)

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    a

    a comes before the consonant sound at the start of risk.

Use it today

Describe a risk you might take and why.