Common Mistakes : Care

noun

.BAD: These children need a special care and attention
.GOOD: These children need special care and attention

.BAD: My host family took a good care of me
.GOOD: My host family took good care of me

:Care is nearly always an uncountable noun
.Care of the environment has become a priority in government thinking
?Would you like me to take care of the plants while you’re away

.BAD: Take care of not catching a cold
.GOOD: Take care not to catch a cold

.BAD: You’d better take care of not offending her
.GOOD: You’d better take care not to offend her

:’Take care of means ‘look after
?Who’s going to take care of the dog while you’re away’

When you mean ‘be careful to avoid something’, use take care not to or take care that you don’t
.He took great care not to let anyone know his intentions

.BAD: Some women stay at home to take care after the children
.GOOD: Some women stay at home to take care of the children

.BAD: The government must take care for the teachers
.GOOD: The government must take care of the teachers

?BAD: Who will take care about the shop
?GOOD: Who will take care of the shop

:take care of or look after sb/sth
.After his mother died, there was nobody to take care of him

verb

.BAD: The only thing they cared for was how to make money
.GOOD: The only thing they cared about was how to make money

.BAD: It encourages readers to care for what they buy
.GOOD: It encourages readers to care about what they buy

.BAD: Some criminals simply don’t care of being caught
.GOOD: Some criminals simply don’t care about being caught

.BAD: They don’t take care about religion
.GOOD: They don’t care about religion

: care for = (formal) like
?Would you care for another drink

: care for = (usually adjectival or passive) look after
.Don’t worry. The child is being well cared for

: care (about) = think that something is important
.I don’t care (about) how much it costs
.I don’t care about the cost