will take approximately

USAGE SUMMARY

"will take approximately" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when describing the amount of time that something is expected to take. For example: "The installation process will take approximately two hours."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This will take approximately 1½ hours.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The examination will take approximately one hour.

Cornell University

The interview will take approximately 30 minutes.

University of California, Berkeley

This part of the surgery will take approximately 90 minutes.

The New York Times

This application will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Harvard University

The Pre-Departure Orientation will take approximately 45 minutes.

Columbia University

They will take approximately five to ten minutes.

Yale University

We expect this first round will take approximately one year.

Harvard University

We anticipate that this effort will take approximately six months to complete.

The New York Times

Inform them that the interview will take approximately 5-10 minutes.

The New York Times

The work will take approximately seven weeks to complete.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "will take approximately" when providing an estimated time frame for a task, event, or process. Be sure to consider the context and adjust the level of precision accordingly.

Common error

Avoid using "will take approximately" when a more precise time frame is known. If the duration is certain, state the exact time instead of using an approximation. For example, don't say "the meeting will take approximately one hour" if it's scheduled for exactly one hour.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "will take approximately" functions as a future tense indicator combined with an adverbial phrase of estimation. Ludwig provides examples where it's used to estimate time needed for tasks, procedures, or processes. This construction enables speakers and writers to communicate anticipated durations without needing to specify precise values.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

24%

Academia

21%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

3%

Unknown/unmatched sources

12%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "will take approximately" is a common and grammatically correct way to estimate the duration of an event, task, or process. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is widely used across diverse contexts, including science, news media, and academia. The phrase serves to communicate an anticipated duration without requiring precise values, allowing individuals to plan accordingly. While phrases like "will last about" or "is estimated to need" can be used as alternatives, it's essential to consider the context and desired level of formality. A key consideration is to avoid overstating precision when a more accurate time frame is known. By understanding its function and appropriate use, writers can effectively convey estimated durations in various professional and general communication scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

will last about

Replaces "approximately" with "about", indicating a less precise estimation.

will require roughly

Substitutes "take" with "require" and "approximately" with "roughly", suggesting a slightly less formal estimation.

is estimated to need

Changes the structure to passive voice and uses "estimated to need" instead of "take", providing a more formal tone.

should last in the vicinity of

Employs a more verbose construction to communicate the approximate duration.

is expected to consume around

Replaces "take" with "consume" when time is considered a resource, and uses "around" instead of "approximately".

will extend to about

Uses "extend" to emphasize duration and "about" to indicate approximation.

is anticipated to require nearly

More formal substitution using "anticipated" and "nearly".

should consume in the neighborhood of

Less formal with use of the term neighborhood.

will span roughly

Replaces the phrase with the meaning of duration.

is projected to last approximately

Substitutes the verb.

FAQs

How do I use "will take approximately" in a sentence?

Use "will take approximately" to estimate the duration of an activity or event. For instance, "The journey "will take approximately" 3 hours", or "The repair "will take approximately" one week".

What are some alternatives to saying "will take approximately"?

You can use phrases like "will last about", "will require roughly", or "is estimated to need" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "will take approximately" or "will take about"?

Both ""will take approximately"" and "will take about" are correct. "Will take approximately" is slightly more formal than "will take about", but the choice depends on the tone you want to convey.

When should I avoid using "will take approximately"?

Avoid using ""will take approximately"" when you know the exact duration of something. In such cases, provide the precise time frame instead.