had took place

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'had took place' is not correct or usable in written English.
The correct phrase to use would be 'had taken place'. Example: The events that had taken place leading up to the accident were unclear.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

"So many of the ideas that Conan Doyle had took place offstage in his books," Ms. Downey said.

The New York Times

Less than 24 hours after the Paris attacks had took place, Belgian police had swooped on a number of addresses in Molenbeek, arresting seven suspects over the weekend.

Independent

One of the nicest Christmases I ever had took place when I was a new reporter at The Times and had to spend the holiday writing about celebrations around the city.

The New York Times

The only formal sex education I ever had took place at school, on Wednesday afternoons.

Vice

Joseph Rogers, a security guard at the nearby Uptown Shop & Save store, told NBC Chicago, "It looked like a war had took place".

Huffington Post

One of the most profound religious experiences I've ever had took place about five years ago in the context my helping to plan an Catholic LGBT ministry event.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

The shift had taken place.

The New York Times

By nightfall, no arrest had taken place.

The New York Times

The explaining had taken place at Columbia Univ.

The New Yorker

Clearly, some renovations had taken place.

The New York Times

The quarrel had taken place over 20 years ago.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct past participle form of the verb 'take', which is 'taken', in perfect tenses. The correct phrase is 'had taken place'.

Common error

Ensure you do not confuse the simple past tense ('took') with the past participle ('taken') when constructing perfect tenses. Using 'took' instead of 'taken' after 'had', 'has', or 'have' creates a grammatical error.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had took place" attempts to function as a past perfect construction, indicating an action completed before another point in the past. However, it fails grammatically because it uses the incorrect past participle form of the verb "take."

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had took place" is a grammatically incorrect construction attempting to use the past perfect tense. The correct form is "had taken place". As indicated by Ludwig, while examples of the incorrect form exist, it should be avoided in all formal and academic writing. For correct alternatives, consider phrases such as "had occurred" or "had happened". Focus on using the proper past participle form to ensure grammatical accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had occurred

Replaces the entire verb phrase with a single, more formal and grammatically sound verb.

had happened

Substitutes with a common and simple verb indicating that an event took place.

had transpired

Offers a more formal synonym for 'happened', suitable for official or serious contexts.

had come about

Emphasizes the manner in which something occurred or was brought into existence.

had unfolded

Suggests a gradual or revealing process of events, rather than a singular action.

had materialized

Indicates that something previously not concrete has become real or apparent.

had been

Uses a simpler structure to denote a past state or condition that existed.

had developed

Focuses on the evolution or progression of an event or situation over time.

had arisen

Suggests that something has emerged or started to exist, often unexpectedly.

had taken its course

Implies a natural or predetermined progression of events to their conclusion.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "had took place"?

The grammatically correct way to phrase this is "had taken place". The past participle of 'take' is 'taken', not 'took'.

When should I use "had taken place"?

Use "had taken place" to describe an event that was completed before another point in the past. It is used to establish a sequence of events in the past.

What are some alternatives to "had taken place"?

Alternatives include "had occurred", "had happened", or "had transpired", depending on the context. These phrases convey a similar meaning with correct grammar.

Is "had took place" ever correct in English?

No, "had took place" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct form is always "had taken place".