Who Take vs. Who Takes – Which is Correct?
Both “who take” and “who takes” are correct, but they follow different subjects. Use “who takes” when who refers to one person or another singular noun; use “who take” when it refers to two or more people or a plural noun. The surrounding verb and meaning determine the correct choice.
Who Take or Who Takes – Which Is Correct?
Both “who take” and “who takes” are grammatically correct. The choice depends on whether who refers to a plural or singular antecedent.
Use “who takes” when the person described is singular:
“She is the employee who takes the early train.”
Use “who take” when the people described are plural:
“They are the employees who take the early train.”
Although who does not visibly show number, its verb must agree with the noun or pronoun it represents. In questions, the same principle applies: “Who takes the last seat?” asks about one person, while “Who take the last seats?” refers to multiple people.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the replacement test. Replace who with he, she, or it. If the replacement works, choose takes. Replace who with they or we. If that works, choose take.
- She takes the bus → the woman who takes the bus.
- They take the bus → the people who take the bus.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| who take | Relative phrase or question phrase | Refers to two or more people who perform an action | “The students who take the exam must arrive early.” |
| who takes | Relative phrase or question phrase | Refers to one person or another singular subject who performs an action | “The student who takes the exam must arrive early.” |
How to Use Who Take
Use “who take” when who refers to a plural noun or pronoun. It commonly appears in relative clauses that provide more information about a group of people. It can also appear in questions when the expected answer includes multiple people.
The phrase is suitable in formal and informal English. The important requirement is that the noun before the relative clause must be plural, or the implied subject of who must be plural.
Example 1: The athletes who take part in the competition train every morning.
Example 2: Who take responsibility when a project fails?
Example 3: Customers who take advantage of the discount must present identification.
What are the different forms of Who Take?
Take is the plural and base form of the irregular verb take. Its principal forms are take, took, and taken. The present participle is taking, and the third-person singular present form is takes.
- Present plural or base form: They take the train.
- Past form: They took the train.
- Past participle: They have taken the train.
- Present participle: They are taking the train.
Etymology of the phrase Who Take
Who comes from Old English hwā, an interrogative and relative pronoun used to identify people. Take comes from Old Norse taka and replaced some earlier Old English expressions for grasping or receiving. Together, who take forms a modern English phrase meaning “people who take” or “which people take.”
How to Use Who Takes
Use “who takes” when who refers to one person, one named individual, or another singular noun. The -s ending on takes marks the third-person singular present tense.
This form is used in both questions and relative clauses. It does not matter whether the sentence sounds formal or conversational; subject-verb agreement remains the same.
Example 1: She is the manager who takes care of the scheduling.
Example 2: Who takes the children to school each morning?
Example 3: The first applicant who takes the assessment will receive a confirmation email.
What are the different forms of Who Takes?
Takes is the third-person singular present form of the irregular verb take. It is used with he, she, it, or a singular noun. It changes to took in the simple past and taken after auxiliary verbs such as has or have.
- Present singular: He takes the bus.
- Past: He took the bus.
- Present perfect: He has taken the bus.
- Present continuous: He is taking the bus.
Etymology of the phrase Who Takes
Who takes combines the Old English-derived pronoun who with takes, the modern third-person singular form of the verb take. The verb developed from Old Norse taka. The present-tense ending -s reflects the standard English agreement pattern for singular third-person subjects.
Related Concepts
Understanding subject-verb agreement and relative clauses makes the difference between who take and who takes much easier to recognize.
- Subject-verb agreement: A verb must match its subject in number. Singular subjects take takes, while plural subjects take take.
- Relative clauses: A relative clause begins with words such as who and describes a noun, as in “the workers who take breaks together.”
- Interrogative pronouns: In questions, who asks about a person or people. The verb still depends on whether the expected answer is singular or plural.
- Irregular verbs: Take does not form its past tense by adding -ed; its past forms are took and taken.
Examples from Media and Literature
The following examples reflect the kinds of constructions commonly used in journalism, fiction, film dialogue, and nonfiction writing.
- News reporting: “The volunteers who take part in the annual cleanup meet before sunrise.” The plural noun volunteers requires take.
- Documentary narration: “Who takes care of the animals after the sanctuary closes?” The question expects one person or one responsible party, so takes is appropriate.
- Historical fiction: “The soldiers who take the message across the border face considerable danger.” The plural noun soldiers requires take.
- Film dialogue: “Who takes the lead when the director is away?” The singular verb appears because the question asks which individual assumes the role.
- Magazine writing: “Readers who take notes often remember more of what they read.” The plural noun readers requires take.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.
- The employees who take or takes the late shift receive an additional allowance.
- Who take or takes responsibility for locking the building?
- The employee who take or takes the late shift receives an additional allowance.
- People who take or takes regular breaks may remain more focused.
- Which participant take or takes the final turn?
Answer Key
- take — Employees is plural.
- takes — The question asks about one person taking responsibility.
- takes — Employee is singular.
- take — People is plural.
- takes — Participant is singular.
Who Take Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| who receive | People who obtain or are given something |
| who accept | People who agree to receive or undertake something |
| who collect | People who gather or pick something up |
| who carry | People who transport or hold something |
Who Takes Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| who receives | One person who obtains or is given something |
| who accepts | One person who agrees to receive or undertake something |
| who collects | One person who gathers or picks something up |
| who carries | One person who transports or holds something |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “who take” or “who takes” correct?
Both are correct. Use who take for a plural antecedent and who takes for a singular antecedent.
Question 2: Is it “people who take” or “people who takes”?
The correct phrase is “people who take” because people is plural: “People who take notes often remember more.”
Question 3: Is it “the person who take” or “the person who takes”?
The correct phrase is “the person who takes” because person is singular: “The person who takes the keys should return them.”
Question 4: Does “who” always take a singular verb?
No. The verb agrees with the noun or pronoun represented by who. For example, “Who takes the bus?” is singular, while “Who take the buses?” is plural.
Conclusion
“Who take” and “who takes” are both correct forms. Choose who take when the implied subject is plural, and choose who takes when it is singular. Pro Tip: checking subject-verb agreement before publishing emails, reports, or applications helps protect your professional reputation and makes your writing appear precise.
