Meaning trap
take in
understand or absorb
to fully understand or remember new information, or to notice details around you
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to fully understand or remember new information, or to notice details around you
Another meaning of 'take in' is 'deceive'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
There was so much information in the lecture that I couldn't take it all in.
During my first week at university, I had to take in a lot of new information, which was quite challenging at first.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: There was too much information to take in it.
Say: There was too much information to take in.
Don't add an extra 'it' — the object ('information') is already there.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Take in' is the natural verb for absorbing information; 'assimilate' is academic.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
take in + information
- the information
- it all
- the news
- the view
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- take in (deceive) — Another meaning of 'take in' is 'deceive'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.