Taken vs Taking: What’s the Difference and When to Use Each

Mix up “taken” and “taking” and your sentence falls apart fast. “I have taking the dog out” sounds wrong because it is wrong, and your brain knows it even when you can’t explain why.

The good news is that taken vs taking comes down to one simple idea: timing and helper verbs. Once you see the pattern, you’ll stop second guessing yourself in emails, texts, essays, and job applications.

This guide gives you the rule first, then examples, a comparison table, a memory trick, and a quiz to lock it in.

Quick Answer: Taken vs Taking

“Taken” is the past participle of “take,” and “taking” is the present participle. Use “taken” after have, has, had, or forms of “be” (“She has taken the keys”).

Use “taking” after forms of “be” to show an action in progress (“She is taking the keys”).

Short version: “taken” means finished or done, “taking” means happening now.

What Does “Taken” Mean?

“Taken” is the past participle of the verb “take,” used to show a completed action or a state of being occupied. It almost never stands alone as the main verb. It needs a helper.

Here are the main ways people use it:

Perfect tenses: “I have taken my vitamins.” “He had taken the earlier train.”
Passive voice: “The last slice was taken before I got to the kitchen.”
As an adjective meaning occupied: “Is this seat taken?”
In idioms: “taken aback,” “taken for granted,” “taken by surprise,” “taken care of,” “taken ill.”

Notice the pattern. In every case, something has already happened or a state already exists. Nobody is mid action.

What Does “Taking” Mean?

“Taking” is the present participle of “take,” used for actions happening now, actions in progress, or as a noun form (a gerund). It usually follows a form of “be” such as am, is, are, was, or were.

Common uses:

Continuous tenses: “I am taking a break.” “They were taking photos all afternoon.”
As a gerund (a verb acting like a noun): “Taking risks is part of the job.”
After prepositions: “She is good at taking feedback.”
In fixed phrases: “taking place,” “taking over,” “taking care,” “taking off,” “taking advantage.”

There is also a British noun, “takings,” meaning the money a shop earns in a day. Americans say “revenue” or “sales” instead.

Where Do “Taken” and “Taking” Come From?

Both words come from the verb “take,” which entered English from Old Norse “taka” around the 12th century. It gradually pushed out the older Old English word “niman,” which also meant to seize or grab.

That history explains the odd spelling. “Take” is an irregular verb, so it doesn’t follow the neat “add ed” rule. Instead of “taked,” English kept the older pattern: take, took, taken. The “ing” form is regular, but you drop the silent e, so it becomes “taking” and never “takeing.”

Grammar Breakdown: Past Participle vs Present Participle

A past participle (“taken”) describes a completed action, while a present participle (“taking”) describes an ongoing one. Here are all the forms of “take” in one place:

Base form: take
Simple past: took
Past participle: taken
Present participle / gerund: taking
Third person singular: takes

The sneaky one is “took.” It is the simple past and needs no helper: “I took the bus.” “Taken” always needs a helper: “I have taken the bus.” If you can swap in “has” or “have” and the sentence still works, “taken” is your word.

For “taking,” test it with “is” or “was”: “She is taking the bus.” If that fits, you’re good.

How to Use Taken and Taking in Professional Writing

In professional writing, use “taken” to report completed steps and “taking” to describe current or ongoing actions. Clear verb forms make you sound careful and credible.

“We have taken the feedback into account and revised the proposal.”
“The team is taking a new approach to onboarding this quarter.”
“Appropriate action has been taken.”
“Thank you for taking the time to review my application.”

That last one shows up in cover letters constantly. It’s “taking,” never “taken,” because the thank you happens right now as you write it.

How to Use Taken and Taking in Casual Conversation

In everyday speech, “taking” sounds natural for what you’re doing and “taken” works for what’s already done or claimed. People also drop letters in speech, which is fine in a text but not in a report.

“I’m taking the dog out, back in ten.”
“Sorry, this table’s taken.”
“Have you taken your meds today?”
“Who’s taking the last cookie? Be honest.”
Informal: “Whatcha takin’?” (written spelling “takin’” is slang for “taking”)

Avoid the nonstandard “tooken.” It pops up in casual speech and kids’ writing, but it isn’t correct English.

Taken vs Taking Comparison Table

This table shows the correct and incorrect forms side by side so you can spot the difference at a glance.

Situation	Correct	Incorrect
Completed action with “have”	I have taken the test.	I have taking the test.
Action happening now	I am taking the test.	I am taken the test.
Simple past	I took the test.	I taken the test.
Passive voice	The test was taken yesterday.	The test was taking yesterday.
Occupied seat	This seat is taken.	This seat is taking.
Gerund as subject	Taking tests makes me nervous.	Taken tests makes me nervous.

Common Mistakes with Taken and Taking

The most common mistakes are using “taken” without a helper verb, using “taking” after “have,” and mixing up “took” and “taken.” Here they are with fixes:

“I taken a nap.” Fix it with “I took a nap” or “I have taken a nap.”
“She has taking my pen.” After “has,” you need “taken.”
“We are taken a vacation.” After “are,” use “taking.”
“He has took the last seat.” “Took” can’t follow “has.” Use “taken.”
“I’m takeing a class.” Drop the e: “taking.”
“It took place” vs “it has took place.” The second is wrong. Say “it has taken place.”

Read More: Took vs Taken: What’s the Right Past Tense?

Real Life Example: The Email That Went Sideways

A wrong verb form won’t usually ruin your life, but it can make you look careless at the worst moment. Picture Dana, who is applying for a marketing job she really wants.

Her cover letter closes with: “Thank you for taken the time to read my application.” She also writes, “I have took several courses in SEO.” The hiring manager is a stickler. Dana’s resume is strong, but two small slip ups plant a doubt about attention to detail.

She gets a polite rejection two weeks later. The fix would have taken ten seconds: “Thank you for taking the time” and “I have taken several courses.” Tiny words, real impact.

How Common Is This Mistake? Data and Trends

“Take” is one of the most frequently used verbs in English, so its forms get misused constantly. Because it is irregular, writers often guess between “took” and “taken,” and that guessing drives a steady stream of searches like “took vs taken,” “has taken or has took,” and “is it taken or taking.”

A few patterns show up again and again:

The “took” and “taken” mix up is the most common error with this verb.
Learners of English trip over the helper verb rule more than the spelling.
Searches tend to rise during school terms and job application seasons, when people are writing more formally.

In short, if you’ve made this mistake, you’re in very large company.

Memory Trick: How to Remember Taken vs Taking

Remember this: “taken” goes with HAVE, and “taking” goes with BE. If you see have, has, or had, reach for “taken.” If you see am, is, are, was, or were plus an action in progress, reach for “taking.”

Another quick hook: taken ends in “en,” and “en” sounds like “done.” Taking ends in “ing,” and “ing” is the sound of something still going on.

Bonus tip: say the sentence out loud with “taken” first. If it sounds like a finished story, you’re right.

Step by Step Guide to Using Taken and Taking Correctly

Pick the right word by checking the helper verb, then the timing. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Find the verb that comes right before the word. Is it have, has, or had?
Step 2: If yes, use “taken.” (“She has taken the lead.”)
Step 3: If the helper is am, is, are, was, or were, ask whether the action is in progress.
Step 4: If it is in progress, use “taking.” (“They are taking the lead.”)
Step 5: If there is no helper and the action is finished, use “took.” (“She took the lead.”)
Step 6: If the sentence describes something occupied or claimed, “taken” works as an adjective. (“The spot is taken.”)
Step 7: If the word is acting as a noun, use “taking.” (“Taking the lead is hard.”)

Mini Quiz: Test Yourself

Pick “taken” or “taking” for each blank. Answers are at the end.

I have ____ three classes this semester.
She is ____ her dog to the vet.
Is anyone sitting here, or is this seat ____?
Thank you for ____ my call.
By noon, he had already ____ the exam.
____ a walk after lunch helps me focus.
The package was ____ to the wrong address.
We were ____ photos when the rain started.

Answers:

taken (after “have”)
taking (after “is,” action in progress)
taken (adjective, occupied)
taking (after the preposition “for”)
taken (after “had”)
Taking (gerund as subject)
taken (passive voice)
taking (after “were,” past continuous)

Six or more correct? You’re in great shape. Fewer than that? Reread the memory trick and try again.

FAQs

Is it “has taken” or “has taking”?

It is “has taken.” After “has,” “have,” or “had,” you always need the past participle “taken.” “Has taking” is never correct.

Is it “I have took” or “I have taken”?

The correct phrase is “I have taken.” “Took” is the simple past and cannot follow “have.” Use “I took” or “I have taken,” but never “I have took.”

What does “taken aback” mean?

“Taken aback” means surprised or shocked, usually in an unpleasant way. For example: “I was taken aback by his rude reply.” It uses “taken” because it is passive and describes a completed reaction.

Is “taking” a noun or a verb?

It can be both. As a verb, it shows action in progress (“I am taking a nap”). As a gerund, it works like a noun (“Taking naps is underrated”). It can also be a plural noun, “takings,” in British English, meaning money earned by a business.

Is “takin’” correct?

“Takin’” is an informal, spoken way of writing “taking.” It is fine in song lyrics, dialogue, or texts with friends. Use the full “taking” in professional or academic writing.

Conclusion

The whole thing comes down to one test. If the sentence has have, has, or had, use “taken.” If it has a form of “be” and the action is ongoing, use “taking.” If the action is simply over and there is no helper, use “took.”

Practice it a few times and it becomes automatic. Your future emails, essays, and cover letters will thank you.

Albert

Albert is a dedicated meaning expert with over 6 years of experience researching word meanings, language usage, and definitions. At Mean Grid, he creates clear, accurate, and easy-to-understand content that helps readers explore the true meaning of words and phrases.