Handle it or take it

Question

How would you say these 2 sentences?Which is natural? I or body takes it/handles it?- I don't think I'd be able to take/handle it. Work and school.- I don't think my body would be able to take/handle it. Work and school.Thank you

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I prefer: "I don't think I'd be able to handle both work and school."

Although many people use the word "take", it's meaning is technically different.

Free_spirit · Answer

The usage of 'I' and 'body' give a slightly different sense to the sentence. It depends on what emphasis you want to give. If your body can't take it, your mind might still be willing! If you say, "I can't take it..." then there might be more of a psychological issue, and that even if your body is capable of it, you just can't handle it for some reason.

Whether you use "take" or "handle" is probably more dependent on context. Both are reasonably informal options. "I don't think I'd be able to take it" gives more of a sense of what will be coming to you (think of taking something from somewhere... we also say someone "took a beating" in a fight, for example). If you can't "handle" it, then it is more about control and ability.

You could also thing about rewording it (take or handle) to something like, "I don't think I could handle both work and school." or "I don't think I could take doing work and going to school." There are so many options, and as usual, it depends on the surrounding sentences for context.

Handle it or take it

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