take too much time

USAGE SUMMARY

'take too much time' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express the idea that something is taking a lot of time. For example, "She spends hours on her homework every night—it seems to take too much time to get it done."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It will take too much time.

The Guardian - Opinion

Vetting him did not take too much time.

The New York Times - Sports

"These things take too much time away from school.

The New York Times - Sports

That will take too much time, some say.

The New York Times

In addition, searching and using a learning object in learning object repository (LOR) may take too much time.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

I don't want to take too much time to read it.

Cornell University

Her original idea — broken VCR parts — collapsed when she realized it would take too much time.

The New York Times

Returners who take too much time will still be docked a full point.

The New York Times

"It would take too much time to address all the lies and spin".

The Guardian

My experience is that many important decisions take too much time to reach grassroots level.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Golf, he added, "takes too much time".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "take too much time", consider the context to determine if a more specific verb or adjective would be more impactful. For instance, instead of "The meeting took too much time", try "The meeting dragged on" or "The meeting was excessively long".

Common error

Avoid using "take too much time" without providing context or justification. Instead of simply stating something takes too much time, explain why the time investment is problematic or what alternatives could be more efficient.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "take too much time" primarily functions as a verb phrase that serves as the predicate of a sentence, indicating that an action, task, or process requires an excessive amount of time. Ludwig AI confirms its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

31%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Wiki

11%

Formal & Business

4%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "take too much time" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that something requires an excessive amount of time. Ludwig AI's analysis reveals its wide applicability across various fields like news, science, academia, and general writing. While versatile, consider replacing it with more specific terms depending on the context, such as "consume excessive time" or "be very time-consuming", for greater precision. It’s important to provide context to explain why something taking "take too much time" is problematic for maximum impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

consume excessive time

Replaces "take" with "consume" and "much" with "excessive", emphasizing the quantity of time used.

require a lot of time

Substitutes "take too much" with "require a lot of", focusing on the necessity of time.

be very time-consuming

Replaces the entire phrase with an adjective describing something that uses a significant amount of time.

demand considerable time

Uses "demand" instead of "take" and "considerable" instead of "too much", highlighting the need for a substantial time investment.

entail a lengthy duration

Replaces the phrase with a more formal expression indicating a long period is involved.

stretch on for hours

Emphasizes the extended duration, implying it continues for a long period.

eat up a lot of time

Uses the idiom "eat up" to describe the time consumption, implying it depletes available time.

be a lengthy process

Focuses on the process being long rather than simply taking time.

prove to be protracted

A more formal way of saying something extends for a long duration.

span a considerable period

Highlights the length of time something covers or lasts.

FAQs

What does it mean when something "takes too much time"?

When something "takes too much time", it means that the activity or task requires an excessive amount of time, often causing inconvenience or inefficiency.

How can I avoid activities that "take too much time"?

To avoid activities that "take too much time", prioritize tasks, delegate when possible, and consider if there are more efficient methods to achieve the same outcome. Time management techniques can also be beneficial.

What are some alternatives to saying "take too much time"?

You can use alternatives like "consume excessive time", "require a lot of time", or "be very time-consuming" to express that something uses a significant amount of time.

Is it ever beneficial for something to "take too much time"?

In some cases, spending "too much time" on a task might be justified if the task requires meticulous attention or if the results are significantly improved by the extra effort. However, this should be a conscious decision based on the specific context.