to get into one's possession by one's action:[~ + object] took a pen and began to write. to hold or grip with the hands:[~ + object] She took my hand and shook it vigorously. to seize or capture:[~ + object] to take a prisoner.
Took functions as the simple past form and stands alone in a sentence: “She took the keys.” Taken, on the other hand, is the past participle and must appear with an auxiliary verb: “She has taken the keys” or “The keys were taken.”
/ tʊk / Add to word list past simple of take (Definition of took from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
TOOK definition: simple past tense of take. See examples of took used in a sentence.
Have you ever wondered whether you should use taken or took in a sentence? These two words often confuse English learners because they both come from the verb take.
Define took. took synonyms, took pronunciation, took translation, English dictionary definition of took. v. Past tense of take. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
Definition of took verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Took is the past tense and should be used when you’re writing “to take” in the past as in “I took that.” Taken is the past participle and should be used when an auxiliary verb is present (i.e., have), so “I have taken that” is correct.
Choosing between “took” and “taken” can be confusing, but understanding their roles in English grammar can help. Both words originate from the verb “take,” but they serve different functions.