Taken Place vs. Taking Place – Which is Correct?
Both “taken place” and “taking place” are correct, but they serve different grammatical purposes. Use “taking place” for an event happening now or around a stated time. Use “taken place” after “has,” “have,” or “had” to describe an event that already occurred. The verb and time reference determine your choice.
Taken Place or Taking Place – Which is Correct?
“Taken place” and “taking place” are both correct English phrases, but they cannot usually be exchanged. The difference is grammatical tense.
Taking place is the present participle form. It describes an event that is happening now, happening around a particular time, or scheduled to happen. It commonly follows forms of be, such as is, are, was, and were.
Taken place is the past participle form of the expression take place. It normally follows has, have, or had in the perfect tenses. It describes an event that has already happened.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the “be or have” swap test. If the sentence uses a form of be, choose taking place: The ceremony is taking place now. If it uses a form of have, choose taken place: The ceremony has taken place already.
Another quick memory aid is this: “taking” points to an event in progress, while “taken” points to an event completed.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| taking place | Present participle phrase | Happening now, around a specific time, or in the future | The festival is taking place downtown. |
| taken place | Past participle phrase | Having happened or occurred | The festival has taken place every summer. |
How to Use Taking Place
Use taking place when you want to emphasize that an event is in progress, occurring at a particular moment, or arranged for a particular time. It is often used with a form of be, including is taking place, are taking place, was taking place, and will be taking place.
The phrase is suitable in casual, academic, professional, and formal writing. It is especially common in announcements, news reports, event descriptions, and explanations of ongoing processes.
Example 1: The annual conference is taking place in Chicago this week.
Example 2: Several important negotiations were taking place behind closed doors.
Example 3: The award ceremony will be taking place on Friday evening.
Etymology of the Phrase Taking Place
The expression take place has long been used to mean “happen” or “occur.” In this idiom, take does not refer literally to carrying or receiving something. The phrase developed as a way to describe an event occupying or occurring in a particular time or location. The form taking adds the progressive meaning of an event in progress.
How to Use Taken Place
Use taken place when describing an event that occurred before a reference point. Because taken is a past participle, it normally needs an auxiliary verb such as has, have, or had.
Use has taken place for a completed event connected to the present, have taken place with plural subjects or you, and had taken place for an event completed before another past event. In standard English, avoid using taken place alone as the main verb.
Example 1: The final interview has taken place, so the committee can make its decision.
Example 2: Several changes have taken place since the company expanded.
Example 3: The meeting had taken place before the director arrived.
Etymology of the Phrase Taken Place
Taken place comes from the idiomatic verb phrase take place, meaning “happen” or “occur.” Taken is the irregular past participle of take. In the perfect tenses, it combines with has, have, or had to show that the event is complete relative to another time.
Related Concepts
Understanding progressive and perfect verb forms makes the difference between these phrases much easier to recognize.
- Progressive aspect: The progressive aspect describes an action or event in progress. Forms such as is taking place and was taking place focus on the ongoing nature of an event.
- Perfect aspect: The perfect aspect connects a completed event with another time. Forms such as has taken place and had taken place show that an event occurred before the relevant present or past reference point.
- Irregular verbs: The verb take has the forms take, takes, took, and taken. Its past participle is taken, not took.
- Idiomatic verb phrases: Take place is an idiom meaning “happen” or “occur.” It does not normally mean physically taking an object to a location.
Examples from Media and Literature
These examples show how writers and speakers use each phrase in real-world contexts:
- News reporting: “Peace talks are taking place between the two countries.” The present progressive highlights an ongoing event.
- Event announcements: “The awards ceremony is taking place at the civic center.” The phrase identifies where an event is occurring.
- Historical writing: “The decisive battle had taken place several decades earlier.” The past perfect places the battle before another past reference point.
- Business communication: “The company’s annual review has taken place, and employees will receive feedback soon.” The present perfect connects the completed review with a current consequence.
- Fictional narration: “While the conversation was taking place in the library, the storm intensified outside.” The progressive form presents the conversation as an ongoing background event.
Taking Place Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| happening | Occurring or unfolding at a particular time |
| occurring | Taking place, especially in formal or academic writing |
| underway | Already started and currently in progress |
| unfolding | Developing or progressing over time |
Taken Place Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| occurred | Happened or took place |
| happened | Took place in the past |
| transpired | Happened or became known, usually in formal writing |
| was held | Was organized or conducted, especially for a meeting or event |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “taken place” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Taken place” is correct when it follows an appropriate auxiliary verb, such as has, have, or had: “The ceremony has taken place.”
Question 2: Is it correct to say “the event is taken place”?
No. Use “the event is taking place” for an event happening now. Use “the event has taken place” for an event that has already happened.
Question 3: Can “taking place” describe a future event?
Yes. A planned future event can be described with will be taking place: “The tournament will be taking place next month.” It can also follow a present-tense form of be in an announcement: “The ceremony is taking place on Saturday.”
Question 4: What is the difference between “took place” and “taken place”?
“Took place” is the simple past form and can stand alone as the main verb: “The meeting took place yesterday.” “Taken place” is a past participle and needs an auxiliary verb: “The meeting has taken place.”
Conclusion
Both taken place and taking place are correct. Choose taking place for an event that is ongoing or scheduled, and choose taken place after has, have, or had for an event that is complete. Pro Tip: Using the correct tense in professional writing improves clarity and protects your credibility.
