Take An Example

The following comment got me thinking about the waysexample is used:

I hope we all can take an example from Shakespeare, and dare to break the structured guidelines.

Since the writer was talking about Shakespeare the writer and not “Shakespeare” the works, a more accurate wording would have been:

I hope we all can take Shakespeare as an example, and dare to break the structured guidelines.

Alternately, the writer could have written:

I hope we all can take Shakespeare as our example, and dare to break the structured guidelines.

Here are some expressions that use example.

for example: I like fruit, for example, strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries.

by way of example: Let’s take the works of George Eliot by way of example.

to make an example {of a person) : The captain made an example of the thief by ordering a punishment of ten lashes.

to set an example: People in positions of governmental power ought to set an example for honesty.

to take example: Take example from the life of Samuel Johnson and be kind to the helpless.