TAKING definition: the act of a person or thing that takes. See examples of taking used in a sentence.

1. Capturing interest; fetching: a taking smile. 2. Contagious; catching. Used of an infectious disease.

Word forms: takes , taking , took , taken Take is used in combination with a wide range of nouns, where the meaning of the combination is mostly given by the noun. Many of these combinations are common idiomatic expressions whose meanings can be found at the appropriate nouns. For example, the expression take care is explained at care.

“Taken” and “taking” come from the same verb, but they serve very different grammar roles. The key difference lies in tense, function, and sentence structure. Understanding how the verb “take” changes form helps you choose the correct word confidently in everyday English, formal writing, and exams.

Many of our lives are centered on taking care of the needs of everyone around us aside from ourselves. It wanders about a third of the time while a person is reading, talking with other people, or taking care of children. Keep yourself busy by taking the time to figure out what it is that you love.

Understanding the difference between taken and taking is key to mastering English. Taken is the past participle of “take.” We use it when talking about something that has already happened, often with “have” or “has.” For example, “She has taken the book.”