Meaning trap
take in
receive sales money
To receive money from sales or an event before costs are taken away.
phrasal verb
How oftenCommon
LevelB2
Used inSpeech & writing
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
The restaurant took in more than £5,000 on its opening night.
During the summer, the market takes in far more money because there are lots of tourists in the area.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: The shop took on £20,000 in December.
Say: The shop took in £20,000 in December.
Use 'take in' for money received; 'take on' means accept work, responsibility or employees.
Don't confuse it
Other ways to say it
Earn money from a business
What moneyGeneral earningsBusiness sales
bring inIncome from a job, activity, product, or business.pull inInformal: earn a stated amount, often an impressive one.
take inYou're here · Money received by a shop, business, or event before expenses.
turn overBritish business English: total sales over a stated period.Compare it
Where this one sits next to the phrases it gets mixed up with.