it took him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it took him" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is commonly used to indicate the amount of time or effort required for someone to accomplish something. Example: It took him three months to finish writing his novel. In this sentence, "it" is a subject pronoun and "took" is the past tense form of the verb "take." "Him" is the object of the sentence and refers to the person who needed three months to complete their novel. Overall, the phrase highlights the amount of time that was necessary for the action to be completed.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It took him hours.

The New Yorker

It took him six hours.

The Guardian

It took him a while.

The Guardian

It took him two years.

The New York Times

It took him a minute to notice.

The New Yorker

It took him months to relax.

The New York Times

It took him 13 minutes this time.

The New York Times - Sports

It took him across to the park.

The New Yorker

It took him nine hours to die.

The New York Times

It took him five days to resign.

The Economist

It took him until 3 a.m.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "it took him", ensure the context clearly indicates what 'it' refers to. For instance, 'It took him three years to build his house' is clearer than 'It took him three years'.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by ensuring that the 'it' in "it took him" clearly refers to a specific task, event, or period previously mentioned in the text. Without a clear antecedent, the sentence can become confusing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it took him" functions as a declarative expression that specifies the duration, effort, or resources required by a person to complete a specific action or experience a particular event. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Academia

10%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it took him" is a versatile and grammatically sound phrase, used to indicate the time, resources or effort a person needed to do or achieve something. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use across diverse sources such as News & Media, Academics and Science. Remember to ensure clarity by providing a specific antecedent for 'it' and being aware of alternatives such as "it required him" for more formal contexts. By paying attention to these nuances, you can effectively and precisely use "it took him" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it required him

Replaces 'took' with 'required', emphasizing the necessity of effort or resources.

he needed

Focuses on the person's need for time or effort, rather than the taking.

he spent

Highlights the time spent by the person.

he employed

Emphasizes the use of time or resources.

he devoted

Shows the dedication of resources, particularly time.

it demanded of him

Highlights the demanding nature of the task or situation.

he invested

Focuses on the commitment of time or effort as an investment.

he found it necessary

Emphasizes the necessity perceived by the person.

the task consumed

Highlights the consuming nature of the task.

the process involved

Focuses on the process and its involvement of the person.

FAQs

How can I use "it took him" in a sentence?

Use "it took him" to describe the time, effort, or resources someone needed to complete a task or experience an event. For example, "It took him three hours to assemble the furniture".

What's a more formal way to say "it took him"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "it required him" or "he needed". These options often suit professional or academic writing.

Is "it took him" grammatically correct?

Yes, "it took him" is grammatically sound. The pronoun "it" acts as the subject, "took" is the past tense verb, and "him" is the object pronoun.

What's the difference between "it took him" and "he took"?

"It took him" focuses on the time or effort expended by someone on something, whereas "he took" emphasizes the action of taking or acquiring. For instance, "It took him five years to write the book" versus "He took the book from the library".