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English in a Minute Series 4

Intermediate level

Verbs to use with 'challenge'

Episode 250506 / 06 May 2025

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Introduction

A challenge is something difficult. There are some verbs that we often use with 'challenge'. We call these combinations collocations. Learn some of them here with Phil.

Common collocations with 'challenge'

pose a challenge
present a challenge
If something poses a challenge or presents a challenge, it is difficult.

  • Climbing three mountains in three days poses a difficult challenge, but I'll do it because it's for a charity that means a lot to me.

accept a challenge
take up a challenge
take on a challenge
These collocations mean you say yes to a challenge.

  • She accepted the challenge of helping decorate the house, even though she had no experience with a paintbrush.
  • I'll take on the challenge if you need someone who speaks Italian.

meet a challenge
face a challenge
If you meet a challenge or face a challenge, you don't choose the challenge yourself, but come across a difficulty when you don't expect to.

  • I've faced a lot of challenges in my career so far – I was made redundant and I lost my job again last year.

respond to a challenge
If you respond to a challenge, you react to the challenge.

  • The class responded to the challenge with groans and sighs.

rise to a challenge
If you rise to a challenge, you say yes to a challenge and hope to do it well, with success.

  • Making a roast dinner for 30 people? I can rise to the challenge.

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TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Phil
Do I accept the challenge? Yes, I think I can explain verbs we use with 'challenge' in one minute.
 
Something that poses a challenge, or presents a challenge, is difficult.
 
Explaining this many words in a minute poses a challenge. The time limit presents a significant challenge.
 
I accepted this challenge – I said yes. I could also say that I took on this challenge, or took up this challenge.
 
Taking on new challenges keeps me interested at work. Someone had to make this video, so I took up the challenge.
 
Sometimes we don't pick challenges, we meet challenges, or we end up facing challenges.
 
Now, I've met the real challenge – there's not much time left. I'm facing a tricky challenge.
 
We can respond well or badly to challenges. To be successful, you need to rise to the challenge – perform better to succeed.
 
I've really had to rise to the challenge to stay in the time limit. I'm not sure how well I responded to this challenge.

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