Lesson

How long does it take...?

Duration questions

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

How long does it take...?

Use this structure to ask about the DURATION of an activity or process. The question asks how much time is needed for something to happen or to be completed.

  • Form: How long does it take (someone) to + base verb?
  • Answer with: It takes + time expression + to + base verb (present) or It took + time expression + to + base verb (past).
  • Use 'it' as a dummy subject: 'It takes 30 minutes to review the document.'

Table

Quick Reference: Asking about duration

Structure Use Example
How long does it take to + verb? Ask about general duration (present) How long does it take to complete the training?
How long did it take to + verb? Ask about duration in the past How long did it take to deliver the report?
How long will it take to + verb? Ask about future duration How long will it take to implement the new system?
It takes + time + to + verb Give the duration (present) It takes two hours to prepare the presentation.
It took + time + to + verb Give the duration (past) It took me 45 minutes to finish the audit.

Tip

Key Rule: Forming the question

Follow this simple structure to ask about duration:

  • Question: How long + auxiliary (do/does/did/will) + subject (it/you/he/she) + take + to + base verb?
  • Answer: It + takes/took/will take + time expression + to + base verb.
  • When you mean someone in particular, include the person: How long does it take him to finish the report?

Always use 'to' + infinitive after 'take' when talking about what needs to be done.

Example

Examples in context

How long does it take to complete the online certification?

It takes about four hours to prepare the monthly financial report.

How long did it take you to resolve the client's issue?

How long will it take the team to implement the new process?

Tip

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch out for these frequent errors when asking or answering about duration:

  • Forgetting 'to' before the verb: incorrect: 'How long does it take finish the report?'
  • Using wrong auxiliary or word order: incorrect: 'How long it takes to prepare?'
  • Mixing 'take' and 'last' without checking meaning: 'take' = need (active), 'last' = continue (passive/time span)
  • Wrong tense agreement: answering in past when the question is present (and vice versa)
  • Putting time expression in the wrong place: correct = It takes two hours to complete the task.

Compare your question and answer forms carefully: auxiliary, subject, 'take', 'to + verb'.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Check the auxiliary and the word order in questions.

Quiz

Complete: _____ to prepare the monthly report?

Hint: Think about question word + auxiliary + subject + main verb

Quiz

Choose the best response to: 'How long does it take to finalize the contract?'

Hint: Recall the standard answer form: It + takes + time expression

Key Points

Vocabulary

take (time)

verb CEFR B1 //teɪk//

to require or need a certain amount of time

It usually takes one hour to review the report.

Vocabulary

duration

noun CEFR B2 //djʊəˈreɪʃən//

the length of time that something lasts

Please estimate the duration of the project.

Expression

How long

expression CEFR A2 //haʊ lɒŋ//

question phrase used to ask about the length of time

How long will it take to finish the audit?

GrammarPoint

to + infinitive

grammar_point CEFR A2 //tuː ˌɪnfɪˈnɪtɪv//

the structure 'to' followed by the base form of a verb, used after 'take' when describing purpose or action

It takes ten minutes to submit the form.

Vocabulary

last

verb CEFR B1 //læst//

to continue for a particular length of time (often used for events or processes)

The meeting lasted two hours.

Vocabulary

estimate

verb CEFR B2 //ˈɛstɪmeɪt//

to give an approximate calculation of time, cost, or size

Can you estimate how long the deployment will take?