The person must have took down the wrong name.

Mori

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2008
Location
Isfahan
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Maria: Wow, this hotel is really nice.
Jill: Yeah. It's better than the pictures.
Good afternoon. We're here to check in.
Hotel clerk: Hi. Do you have a reservation?
Maria: Yes, we do.
Hotel clerk: Can I have the name of the person who made the reservation?
Jill: Jill Willcox. W-I-L-L-C-O-X.
Hotel clerk: Thank you. Hmm... Looks like there's no reservation.
Jill: But, I'm sure I made a reservation.
Hotel clerk: I have a Till Millfox.
Jill: That's me. Just spelled wrong.
Hotel clerk: May I see your driver's license?
But it says Jill Willcox. And the reservation is for Till Millfox.
Jill: Right. The person must have took down the wrong name.
Hotel clerk: I see.
Source: Speak Now 3, Jack C. Richards & David Bohlke, lessons 5–8 video

Shouldn't it be "The person must have taken down the wrong name"?
 
Last edited:
Yes, but be aware that this is a common error from some native speakers.

I've took it away.
Have you took my book?
I saw you'd took the photos down.


One of my work colleagues used the first example above just an hour ago!
 
I hear it all the time too. I consider it a non-standard, dialectal form.
 
I can't say I have heard that one, but "should have went" is a common mistake along the same lines.
 
I was talking generally about using the second form of a verb in place of a third form. I hear it often, from American and British speakers alike.

I must say I'm surprised to see it in Speak Now 3.
 
Back
Top