Irregular verbs Regular verbs
take, takes, taking, taken, took
Synonyms: seize, grasp, capture, acquire, receive
Antonyms: give, offer, provide, refuse, release
The Verb Take – Definition, Usage, and Clarification
The verb take is an extremely common and versatile irregular verb. Its core meaning is to get something into one's possession or to carry it from one place to another. It is used in a vast number of literal, figurative, and idiomatic expressions.
VERB FORMS
■ Base Form: take
■ Past Simple: took
■ Past Participle: taken
■ Present Participle/Gerund: taking
USAGE AND CONTEXT
'Take' is one of the most frequently used verbs in English, with a wide range of applications.
1. Getting, Holding, or Carrying
This is its most literal, physical meaning.
■ Holding: 'Can you take this bag for me for a moment?'
■ Moving: 'Take these books back to the library.'
2. Consuming Medicine, Food, or Drink
This is a specific use for ingestion.
■ Medicine: 'You must take this medicine twice a day.'
■ Food: 'I usually take sugar in my coffee.'
3. Using Transport
This refers to using a form of transportation to travel.
■ Transport: 'I take the bus to work every morning.'
4. Requiring an Amount of Time
This describes the duration needed for an activity.
■ Time: 'It will take about an hour to finish the report.'
5. Accepting or Receiving
This refers to agreeing to receive something.
■ Accepting: 'Do you take credit cards?'
■ Opportunity: 'She decided to take the job offer.'
ℹ IMPORTANT: 'TAKE' VS. 'BRING' AND PHRASAL VERBS
■ 'Take' vs. 'Bring': This is a very common point of confusion. The choice depends on the direction of movement relative to the speaker.
■ Take: Movement away from the speaker. ('Please take your shoes to your room.')
■ Bring: Movement towards the speaker. ('Please bring me that book.')
■ Phrasal Verbs: The meaning of 'take' changes completely in phrasal verbs.
■ Take off: To remove clothing, or for an airplane to begin flight. ('Take off your coat.' / 'The plane will take off soon.')
■ Take up: To start a new hobby or activity. ('He decided to take up painting.')
■ Take over: To assume control of something. ('The new manager will take over next week.')
■ Take after: To resemble an older family member. ('She really takes after her mother.')
| TAKE - PRESENT SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I | take |
| ★ you | take |
| ★ he/she/it | takes |
| ★ we | take |
| ★ you (plural) | take |
| ★ they | take |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Present Simple |
|---|
| - I take the bus to work every morning. |
| - You take great photos. |
| - He takes sugar in his coffee. | She takes her dog for a walk every evening. |
| - We take a break at 11 AM. |
| - You (plural) take your final exams in June. |
| - They take pride in their work. |
| TAKE - PRESENT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I am | taking |
| ★ you are | taking |
| ★ he/she/it is | taking |
| ★ we are | taking |
| ★ you are | taking |
| ★ they are | taking |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Present Continuous |
|---|
| - I am taking a picture of this beautiful sunset. |
| - You are taking this joke too seriously. |
| - He is taking a nap on the sofa. | It is taking a long time to download. |
| - We are taking a different route to avoid the traffic. |
| - You (plural) are taking notes during the lecture. |
| - They are taking the first step towards a new beginning. |
| TAKE - PRESENT PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I have | taken |
| ★ you have | taken |
| ★ he/she/it has | taken |
| ★ we have | taken |
| ★ you have | taken |
| ★ they have | taken |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Present Perfect |
|---|
| - I have taken your advice, and it was very helpful. |
| - You have taken too much time to decide. |
| - He has taken the last piece of cake. | She has taken charge of the project. |
| - We have taken all the necessary precautions. |
| - You (plural) have taken the wrong turn. |
| - They have taken the company to a new level of success. |
| TAKE - PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I have been | taking |
| ★ you have been | taking |
| ★ he/she/it has been | taking |
| ★ we have been | taking |
| ★ you have been | taking |
| ★ they have been | taking |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I have been taking this medication for a week. |
| - You have been taking guitar lessons for years. |
| - He has been taking care of his sick mother. | The journey has been taking longer than we expected. |
| - We have been taking turns driving. |
| - You (plural) have been taking this very seriously. |
| - They have been taking advantage of the good weather. |
| TAKE - PAST SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I | took |
| ★ you | took |
| ★ he/she/it | took |
| ★ we | took |
| ★ you (plural) | took |
| ★ they | took |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Past Simple |
|---|
| - I took a day off from work last Friday. |
| - You took my pen by mistake. |
| - He took a different path and got lost. | She took a deep breath and dived in. |
| - We took a taxi to the airport. |
| - You (plural) took the exam yesterday. |
| - They took their children to the zoo. |
| TAKE - PAST CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I was | taking |
| ★ you were | taking |
| ★ he/she/it was | taking |
| ★ we were | taking |
| ★ you were | taking |
| ★ they were | taking |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Past Continuous |
|---|
| - I was taking a shower when the phone rang. |
| - You were taking a risk by investing in that company. |
| - He was taking pictures of the wildlife. | The machine was taking a long time to start. |
| - We were taking the scenic route. |
| - You (plural) were taking a class on a subject you love. |
| - They were taking down the Christmas decorations. |
| TAKE - PAST PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I had | taken |
| ★ you had | taken |
| ★ he/she/it had | taken |
| ★ we had | taken |
| ★ you had | taken |
| ★ they had | taken |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Past Perfect |
|---|
| - I had taken the medicine before the doctor told me not to. |
| - You had taken the wrong coat from the cloakroom. |
| - He had taken control of the situation before anyone else could. | She had taken her final exam. |
| - We had taken all the necessary steps. |
| - You (plural) had taken the train before it was cancelled. |
| - They had taken the opportunity when it was offered. |
| TAKE - PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I had been | taking |
| ★ you had been | taking |
| ★ he/she/it had been | taking |
| ★ we had been | taking |
| ★ you had been | taking |
| ★ they had been | taking |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I had been taking Spanish lessons for a year before I moved to Spain. |
| - You had been taking care of the garden. |
| - He had been taking the same train to work for twenty years. | The company had been taking on too many new projects. |
| - We had been taking turns looking after the baby. |
| - You (plural) had been taking a lot of photos. |
| - They had been taking their time to finish the project. |
| TAKE - FUTURE SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will | take |
| ★ you will | take |
| ★ he/she/it will | take |
| ★ we will | take |
| ★ you will | take |
| ★ they will | take |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Future Simple |
|---|
| - I will take the 9 AM train tomorrow. |
| - You will take the lead on this project. |
| - He will take his driving test next week. | She will take your jacket for you. |
| - We will take a break in ten minutes. |
| - You (plural) will take the children to the park. |
| - They will take their complaints to the manager. |
| TAKE - FUTURE CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will be | taking |
| ★ you will be | taking |
| ★ he/she/it will be | taking |
| ★ we will be | taking |
| ★ you will be | taking |
| ★ they will be | taking |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Future Continuous |
|---|
| - I will be taking my final exams this time next week. |
| - You will be taking a big risk. |
| - He will be taking over as CEO next year. | This task will be taking up all of my afternoon. |
| - We will be taking a tour of the city. |
| - You (plural) will be taking a flight to London. |
| - They will be taking their skills to another level. |
| TAKE - FUTURE PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will have | taken |
| ★ you will have | taken |
| ★ he/she/it will have | taken |
| ★ we will have | taken |
| ★ you will have | taken |
| ★ they will have | taken |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Future Perfect |
|---|
| - I will have taken all my exams by the end of June. |
| - You will have taken control of the company by then. |
| - He will have taken the medicine. | She will have taken the photos. |
| - We will have taken all the necessary measures. |
| - You (plural) will have taken the decision. |
| - They will have taken their seats before the play starts. |
| TAKE - FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will have been | taking |
| ★ you will have been | taking |
| ★ he/she/it will have been | taking |
| ★ we will have been | taking |
| ★ you will have been | taking |
| ★ they will have been | taking |
| Examples of the verb 'take' in the Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - By 6 PM, I will have been taking this course for three hours straight. |
| - You will have been taking care of the situation for a long time. |
| - By the time he retires, he will have been taking this bus for 30 years. | The machine will have been taking a long time to process. |
| - We will have been taking turns. |
| - You (plural) will have been taking the lead. |
| - They will have been taking their medicine. |