ENGLISH
REFERENCE

it takes

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. You use this phrase to say how much time, effort, or some other resource is needed to do something.

fixed phr.. A fixed grammatical frame, `It takes + [time/resource] + to + [infinitive]`, used to state the duration or resources required for an action. The pronoun 'it' is a dummy subject.


SIMPLE

It takes ten minutes to walk there.

CONTEXTUAL

It takes a lot of patience to teach young children how to read.

COMPLEX

It takes a unique combination of skill and luck to succeed in such a competitive industry, a fact many aspiring artists overlook.

Usage

This structure is very common for talking about the time or effort required for a task.

Teaching tip

Contrast this structure with 'I spend [time] doing something' to highlight the difference between an objective requirement and a personal experience.

Pitfall

It take five hours.It takes five hours.The subject 'it' is third-person singular, so the present tense verb needs an '-s'.

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