I was took

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "I was took" is not correct and usable in written English.
You would use the phrase "I was taken" instead. Example: I was taken by surprise when I heard the news.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Her first novel for young adults, the award-winning How I Live Now, was set in a grimly believable near-future dystopia, while 2007's What I Was took place in the 1960s, in a boarding school on the Suffolk coast.

The Guardian - Books

My firm was closed on New Year's Eve so I was took six spin classes over the past eight days rather than my usual four.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

I was taken aback.

The New York Times

I was taking action.

The New Yorker

I was taken with him.

The New York Times

I was taking a shower.

The New Yorker

"I was taking a piss".

The New Yorker

I was taking Amtrak".

The New York Times

By 30, I was taken more seriously.

The New York Times

"I was taken by three men.

Independent

I was taken aback by her caution.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "taken" as the past participle of "take" in the passive voice. The correct phrasing is "I was taken".

Common error

Avoid using "took" when the past participle "taken" is required. "Took" is the simple past tense, while "taken" is used after auxiliary verbs like "was", "have", or "had".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was took" is an incorrect attempt at using the passive voice. In standard English, the correct passive construction requires the past participle form of the verb, which is "taken". Ludwig AI flags this as an error.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "I was took" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct form is "I was taken", which uses the past participle "taken". As Ludwig AI indicates, using "took" in this context is an error. Although there are a few instances where "I was took" appears in various sources, its usage is rare and non-standard. Therefore, it's best to avoid "I was took" and use the grammatically correct alternative, "I was taken", to ensure clarity and accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was taken

Corrects the grammatical error by using the past participle "taken" instead of "took".

I had been taken

Emphasizes the action of being taken occurred before another point in time.

I was led

Implies guidance or direction by someone or something.

I was moved

Suggests being emotionally affected or physically relocated.

I was transported

Focuses on the act of being physically moved from one place to another.

I was carried

Emphasizes the action of being physically supported and moved.

I found myself

Expresses a state of being in a particular place or situation, often unexpectedly.

I became

Implies a transformation or change in state.

I got

A more informal way of saying "I was" followed by a descriptor.

I experienced

Highlights the undergoing of a particular event or feeling.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "I was took"?

The correct phrasing is "I was taken". "Took" is the simple past tense, while "taken" is the past participle needed after "was".

When should I use "took" versus "taken"?

"Took" is used for simple past tense actions (e.g., "I took the book"). "Taken" is used as the past participle, often with auxiliary verbs like "have", "has", "had", "was", or "were" (e.g., "I have taken the test", "I was taken to the hospital").

What does "I was taken" mean?

"I was taken" generally means someone or something moved you, either physically (e.g., "I was taken to the hospital") or figuratively (e.g., "I was taken by surprise").

Are there other phrases similar to "I was taken"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "I was led", "I was moved", or "I was transported".