it took long

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it took long" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form is "it took a long time." Example: "It took a long time to finish the project, but we are proud of the results."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

"It took long enough".

The New York Times

"It took long enough to get gay marriage," Ms. Nicolosi added.

The New York Times

"It took long and arduous discussions," said Mayor Philip E. Zegarelli.

The New York Times

It took long, hard years for things to decline, and it's taken long years to rebuild".

The New York Times

It took long enough to get here that he will not complain.

The New York Times - Sports

It took long minutes for the police and his friends to extricate him sufficiently to squeeze him into a black cadillac.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

It took long-discredited raw intelligence and resurrected it to create the impression that there was new information supporting Mr. Feith's preordained conclusions.

The New York Times

It takes long time to change.

The Guardian

It takes long, hard work on essential strategic questions.

Forbes

Maybe it takes long to heal.

Vice

Did it take long for me to write my statement?

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the grammatically correct form "it took a long time" instead of "it took long". This ensures clarity and professionalism in your writing.

Common error

A frequent mistake is dropping the article "a" before "long time". Remember to include "a" to maintain grammatical accuracy: "It took "a long time"" is correct, while "it took long time" is incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it took long" functions as a statement about the duration of an event. However, it's grammatically incomplete. Ludwig AI indicates the grammatically standard form is "it took a long time".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

29%

Academia

21%

Less common in

Wiki

17%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "it took long" appears in various sources, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests the correct and widely accepted form is "it took a long time". This ensures clarity and professionalism, especially in formal contexts. Remember to include the article "a" for grammatical accuracy. The authoritative sources highlight the importance of using the correct form in writing to maintain credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it required a long time

Replaces "took" with "required" and adds "a time" for grammatical correctness.

it took a long while

Substitutes "time" with "while", maintaining the same meaning.

it took considerable time

Uses "considerable" to emphasize the length of time.

it lasted a long time

Replaces "took" with "lasted" and adds "a time" for grammatical correctness.

it was a lengthy process

Shifts the focus to the process being lengthy rather than the act of taking time.

it took ages

Employs the informal expression "ages" to indicate a long duration.

it spanned a considerable duration

Uses more formal language to express the extended time period.

it was a drawn-out affair

Describes the event as "drawn-out", suggesting it lasted longer than expected.

it took forever

Uses the hyperbole "forever" to exaggerate the duration.

the process was time-consuming

Focuses on the characteristic of the process, highlighting its demand for time.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the phrase "it took long" in a sentence?

The grammatically correct way to express this idea is to say "it took "a long time"". For example, "It took "a long time" to complete the project" is correct.

What are some alternatives to saying "it took long"?

You can use alternatives such as "it took "a while"", "it took "a long while"", or "it required "considerable time"" to convey the same meaning with better grammatical accuracy.

Is there a difference between "it took long" and "it took a long time"?

Yes, "it took long" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "it took "a long time"". The inclusion of the article "a" is essential for proper grammar.

Why is "it took long" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "it took long" is missing the necessary article "a" before the noun phrase "long time". In English grammar, it's generally required to say "it took "a long time"" to be grammatically correct.