Take | English Usage
We can use take to say how much time we need to do something. Different structures are possible.
Person + take + time + infinitive
When the person is the subject, we use the structure person + take + time + infinitive.
- He took 5 years to finish the project.
- I took three hours to get home.
- They took all day to clean the room.
Activity + take + person + time + infinitive
The activity can be the subject
- The project took him five years to finish.
- The room took them all day to clean.
- The ferry took them two hours to unload.
It is also possible to begin these sentences with a preparatory it. The word order is as follows: it + take + person + time + infinitive
- It took him five years to finish the project.
- It took them all day to clean the room.
