took an hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "took an hour" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the duration of an activity or event that required one hour to complete. Example: "The meeting took an hour longer than expected."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Fifteen-minute trips suddenly took an hour.

The New York Times

(All that took an hour).

The New Yorker

Plucking all the turkeys took an hour.

The New Yorker

This took an hour and a half".

The New York Times

It took an hour to be rescued.

Independent

It all took an hour.

The Guardian

His trip took an hour.

The New York Times

The full tour took an hour.

The New York Times - Travel

Completing a pair often took an hour.

The New York Times

It took an hour and a half.

The New York Times - Magazine

It took an hour to release her.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "took an hour" to clearly and simply state the duration of an event or activity. It's a straightforward way to communicate how long something lasted.

Common error

Instead of using convoluted language to describe how long something took, "took an hour" offers a clear and concise alternative. Don't try to be overly creative when a simple statement works best.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "took an hour" primarily functions as a declarative statement indicating the duration of an event or activity. Ludwig AI supports this, as the examples showcase its use across various contexts to simply state how long something lasted.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Science

5%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "took an hour" is a straightforward and grammatically sound phrase used to indicate that something lasted for one hour. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this expression is very common, particularly in news and media, and serves the purpose of informing the audience about duration. While alternatives like "lasted an hour" exist, "took an hour" offers a clear and simple way to convey the time commitment involved in an activity or event. The phrase's neutral register makes it suitable for various writing contexts, ensuring effective communication about time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Lasted an hour

Focuses on the duration of an event.

Spanned an hour

Emphasizes the period of time something covered.

Consumed an hour

Highlights the time taken by an activity.

Required an hour

Stresses the necessary time for something.

Extended for an hour

Indicates the period something continued.

Occupied an hour

Focuses on how time was filled.

Ran for an hour

Describes the length of a performance or event.

Clocked an hour

Highlights the measured time.

Amounted to an hour

Emphasizes the total time involved.

Filled an hour

Indicates how time was used.

FAQs

What does "took an hour" mean in a sentence?

The phrase "took an hour" indicates that a specific activity or event lasted for a duration of one hour. It is a common way to express the time required to complete something.

What can I say instead of "took an hour"?

You can use alternatives like "lasted an hour", "spanned an hour", or "required an hour" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "it was took an hour"?

No, the correct way to phrase it is "it took an hour". The auxiliary verb "took" is already in the past tense, so "was" is unnecessary.

How does "took an hour" compare to "took about an hour"?

"Took an hour" implies a precise duration of 60 minutes. "Took about an hour" suggests an approximate duration, meaning it could be slightly more or less than one hour.