taking a long time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "taking a long time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an action or process that is lasting for a significant period of time. Example: "The repairs on my car are taking a long time to complete." In this sentence, "taking a long time" is describing how long the repairs are expected to take.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They are taking a long time".

The New York Times

It is taking a long time".

The Guardian

"It's taking a long time.

The New York Times

She's taking a long time.

The New Yorker

Mr Benson is taking a long time finding a cab.

The Guardian

Street Canvasser: Ma'am, you're taking a long time.

The New Yorker

It's just taking a long time to pin them down.

The Guardian

'We did a lot of experimenting, taking a long time.

The Guardian - Film

But, she said, it is taking a long time to catch on.

The New York Times - Health

He is renowned for taking a long time to pen each book.

Independent

EUROPE'S much-promised single market in financial services is taking a long time to create.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with 'just' or 'simply' to soften the tone if you are explaining a delay without assigning blame

Common error

Avoid using "taking a long time" as a synonym for 'late' or 'overdue' if the process is actually expected to be long. Use it to describe the ongoing state of duration rather than just the failure to meet a deadline

Linguistic Context

The phrase "taking a long time" functions as a present participle verb phrase often used in continuous tenses. According to Ludwig AI, it commonly acts as the predicate to describe an ongoing action that has a significant duration. It is structurally composed of the verb 'take' in its gerund/participle form, the indefinite article 'a', the adjective 'long' and the noun 'time'.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

12%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "taking a long time" is a foundational English phrase used to describe processes that move at a slow pace. Whether used in a casual conversation about a late pizza or in an Economist article about the slow recovery of the banking sector, it remains a reliable way to communicate duration. Ludwig AI highlights its prevalence in professional journalism, suggesting it is a safe and effective choice for writers who want to be clear without being overly technical. While alternatives like "<a href="/s/dragging+on" target="_blank" rel="alternative">dragging on" can add emotional color, the core phrase is often the most direct way to state that something is simply not finished yet.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dragging on

Implies that the process is not only slow but also tedious or unnecessarily prolonged

taking forever

Adds a hyperbolic and informal emphasis to the length of time

proceeding slowly

A more neutral and descriptive way to express a lack of speed

requiring substantial time

Shifts the focus from the act of 'taking' to the requirement of time as a resource

lasting a significant duration

Provides a more clinical and formal description of the timeframe

stretching out

Visualizes the time period as being elongated or extended

moving at a snails pace

Uses an idiom to emphasize extreme slowness in progress

taking an eternity

An extreme hyperbole often used to express frustration

occupying a lengthy period

Formal phrasing often used in academic or technical reporting

proving time consuming

Suggests that the nature of the task itself causes the delay

FAQs

What can I say instead of "taking a long time"?

Depending on your context, you could use phrases like "<a href="/s/dragging+on" target="_blank" rel="alternative">dragging on" for boredom, "<a href="/s/taking+forever" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking forever" for emphasis, or "<a href="/s/protracted" target="_blank" rel="alternative">protracted" for a more formal tone.

Is it "taking a long time" or "taking a long-time"?

The correct form is "taking a long time" without a hyphen. Hyphens are typically used when the phrase acts as a compound adjective before a noun, such as a 'long-time friend', but not when describing a duration.

How do I use "taking a long time" in a formal sentence?

In formal contexts, you can use it to describe systemic processes, for example: 'The implementation of the new policy is "taking a long time" due to administrative hurdles'.

What is the difference between "taking a long time" and "taking too long"?

While "taking a long time" is descriptive and relatively neutral, "<a href="/s/taking+too+long" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking too long" implies a negative judgment, suggesting that a limit has been exceeded or that the delay is unacceptable.