Uploaded August 2016 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
How long will it take you to watch this video? Just a few minutes! But in that short time, you will learn how to use the very common English expression "how long will it take" in the present, past, and future tenses. Improve your grammar instantly by watching this video, then master how to ask and answer questions easily by doing the many practice exercises on the quiz at engvid.com/learn-english-grammar-how-long-does-it-take .
TRANSCRIPT
Hi. I'm Rebecca from engVid. In this lesson you'll learn how to use the expressions: "How long does it take...?", "How long did it take...?", and "How long will it take...?" All right? Now, before we begin I want to explain that the words "how long" can apply to two different areas. Sometimes they apply to space, and sometimes they apply to time. So, for example, we could say: "How long is the table?" Now we are measuring space. Okay? The length of the table. That's one meaning. That's not what you're going to learn in this lesson. In this lesson we're going to focus on "how long" in terms of time.
So when we say: How long does it take for something, we're actually asking: How much time is needed for something? How much time is required to do something? For example: "How long does it take to fly from Los Angeles to New York?" Okay? So that's in the present tense, which we can use to talk about things in general. So: "How long does it take to fly from Los Angeles to New York?" The answer to that would be: "It takes about six hours." Okay? You see that up here. -"How long does it take...?" -"It takes..."
Now, if you were asking the same question in the past, then we would ask it like this: -"How long did it take to fly from Los Angeles to New York?" -"It took about six hours." Okay? So along with the question, we see that the answer has to also change. Right? The form of the verb "take" changes according to our response.
Now, in the future we would say: -"How long will it take to fly from Los Angeles to New York?" -"It will take about six hours." Okay? So what you need to remember is this expression: "How long does it take...?", "How long did it take...?", or "How long will it take...?" And also the responses: "It takes...", or "It took...", or "It will take..." All right? Does that seem easy? Well, I hope so. We're going to find out in a minute. We're going to do an exercise where you'll have a chance to practice using these expressions.
So let's begin. So remember: According to whatever it says here, present or past or future, you're going to ask questions like: "How long does it take...?", "How long did it take...?", or "How long will it take...?" and the appropriate answer. Okay? If you need to look down here, you can to look at the words: "does", "did", or "will", or "takes", "took", or "will take", but if you don't need to, then just try to keep your eyes at the top. Okay?
First one. Present. "How long does it take to become a doctor?" The answer is: "It takes 10 years." Okay? At least 10 years. Probably much more.
Okay. In the future, how will you ask this question? "How long will it take to finish your homework?" Answer: "It will take 30 minutes." Okay? Try to do it along with me.
In the past, how do we ask the question? "How long did it take to complete your MBA?" In the past, the answer: "It took 2 years." Okay?
Next, in the future: -"How long will it take to deliver the pizza?" -"It will take 20 minutes." Good.
In the present, okay? Still with me? Ready? How do we ask the question in the present? "How long does it take to drive downtown?" The answer: "It takes 45 minutes." Good.
Now, in the future. Slightly different question, I'm going to show you what it is. So: "How long will it take you", okay? Now we've put in a word here. "How long will it take you to get ready?" So the answer is: "It will take me 10 minutes to get ready." Okay? You see how that is? -"How long will it take you...?" -"It will take me..." All right?
Next, if we're asking the question in the past: "How long did it take him to get a refund?" The answer: "It took him 2 weeks to get a refund." Okay? Good, you're doing great.
And the last one in the present tense: "How long does it take her to get to work?" Okay? "How long does it take her to get to work?" Good. The answer is: "It takes her 15 minutes. It takes her 15 minutes to get to work." Okay? All right.
Once you get the hang of it, of course it will flow much faster and much more easily. Right? -"How long does it take...?" -"It takes this long." -"How long did it take...?" -"It took that long." -"How long will it take...?" -"It will take this long." Okay? So, practice it. And a very good way to do that is to go to our website at www.engvid.com. There, you can do a quiz on this lesson and also have access to hundreds and hundreds of other English lessons. Okay? I wish you all the best with your English. Bye for now.
How long will it take you to watch this video? Just a few minutes! But in that short time, you will learn how to use the very common English expression "how long will it take" in the present, past, and future tenses. Improve your grammar instantly by watching this video, then master how to ask and answer questions easily by doing the many practice exercises on the quiz at engvid.com/learn-english-grammar-how-long-does-it-take .
TRANSCRIPT
Hi. I'm Rebecca from engVid. In this lesson you'll learn how to use the expressions: "How long does it take...?", "How long did it take...?", and "How long will it take...?" All right? Now, before we begin I want to explain that the words "how long" can apply to two different areas. Sometimes they apply to space, and sometimes they apply to time. So, for example, we could say: "How long is the table?" Now we are measuring space. Okay? The length of the table. That's one meaning. That's not what you're going to learn in this lesson. In this lesson we're going to focus on "how long" in terms of time.
So when we say: How long does it take for something, we're actually asking: How much time is needed for something? How much time is required to do something? For example: "How long does it take to fly from Los Angeles to New York?" Okay? So that's in the present tense, which we can use to talk about things in general. So: "How long does it take to fly from Los Angeles to New York?" The answer to that would be: "It takes about six hours." Okay? You see that up here. -"How long does it take...?" -"It takes..."
Now, if you were asking the same question in the past, then we would ask it like this: -"How long did it take to fly from Los Angeles to New York?" -"It took about six hours." Okay? So along with the question, we see that the answer has to also change. Right? The form of the verb "take" changes according to our response.
Now, in the future we would say: -"How long will it take to fly from Los Angeles to New York?" -"It will take about six hours." Okay? So what you need to remember is this expression: "How long does it take...?", "How long did it take...?", or "How long will it take...?" And also the responses: "It takes...", or "It took...", or "It will take..." All right? Does that seem easy? Well, I hope so. We're going to find out in a minute. We're going to do an exercise where you'll have a chance to practice using these expressions.
So let's begin. So remember: According to whatever it says here, present or past or future, you're going to ask questions like: "How long does it take...?", "How long did it take...?", or "How long will it take...?" and the appropriate answer. Okay? If you need to look down here, you can to look at the words: "does", "did", or "will", or "takes", "took", or "will take", but if you don't need to, then just try to keep your eyes at the top. Okay?
First one. Present. "How long does it take to become a doctor?" The answer is: "It takes 10 years." Okay? At least 10 years. Probably much more.
Okay. In the future, how will you ask this question? "How long will it take to finish your homework?" Answer: "It will take 30 minutes." Okay? Try to do it along with me.
In the past, how do we ask the question? "How long did it take to complete your MBA?" In the past, the answer: "It took 2 years." Okay?
Next, in the future: -"How long will it take to deliver the pizza?" -"It will take 20 minutes." Good.
In the present, okay? Still with me? Ready? How do we ask the question in the present? "How long does it take to drive downtown?" The answer: "It takes 45 minutes." Good.
Now, in the future. Slightly different question, I'm going to show you what it is. So: "How long will it take you", okay? Now we've put in a word here. "How long will it take you to get ready?" So the answer is: "It will take me 10 minutes to get ready." Okay? You see how that is? -"How long will it take you...?" -"It will take me..." All right?
Next, if we're asking the question in the past: "How long did it take him to get a refund?" The answer: "It took him 2 weeks to get a refund." Okay? Good, you're doing great.
And the last one in the present tense: "How long does it take her to get to work?" Okay? "How long does it take her to get to work?" Good. The answer is: "It takes her 15 minutes. It takes her 15 minutes to get to work." Okay? All right.
Once you get the hang of it, of course it will flow much faster and much more easily. Right? -"How long does it take...?" -"It takes this long." -"How long did it take...?" -"It took that long." -"How long will it take...?" -"It will take this long." Okay? So, practice it. And a very good way to do that is to go to our website at www.engvid.com. There, you can do a quiz on this lesson and also have access to hundreds and hundreds of other English lessons. Okay? I wish you all the best with your English. Bye for now.
