What took you so long?

[tufguy]

Is it correct to say "Why is it taking you long to complete this task?" or "What is taking you so long to complete this task" or "What is it that is keeping you from completing the task"? If someone is taking longer that they should to complete any work or task?

Can we also say "What took you so long" or "what took you so long to reach here" if someone is late?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Is it correct to say "Why is it taking you so long to complete this task?"

Yes, as corrected.

or "What is taking you so long to complete this task" or

No. Just say, "What's taking you so long?"

"What is it that is keeping you from completing the task"?

Yes. It's a little wordy. More natural: "What's keeping you from finishing?"

If someone is taking longer that they should to complete any work or task, can we also say "What took you so long?" or "What took you so long to get here?" if someone is late?

Yes, or: "What kept you?"

Now you know!

 

[Tarheel]

Tufguy, what short word did you leave out in the OP? (Hint: It's in the title of the thread.)

 

[tedmc]

"Why is it taking you long to complete this task?"

I don't think the above is correct. We either say "What is taking you so long..." or "Why are you taking so long...".

 

[emsr2d2]

There's nothing wrong with "Why is it taking you so long to ...?", ted.

 

[emsr2d2]

Is it correct to say "Why is it taking you so long to complete this task?", [strike]or[/strike] "What is taking you so long to complete this task?" or "What is it that is keeping you from completing the task?" if someone is taking longer [strike]that[/strike] than they should to complete any work or task?

Note my corrections above.

 

[tedmc]

There's nothing wrong with "Why is it taking you so long to ...?", ted.

The word "so" is not in the original sentence.

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't think the above is correct. We either say "What is taking you so long..." or "Why are you taking so long...".

The word "so" is not in the original sentence.

I realise that but I thought you were suggesting that we only say the two examples shown above, and that it's not natural to use even the corrected version starting "Why is it taking you so long ...?"

 

[tufguy]

Tufguy, what short word did you leave out in the OP? (Hint: It's in the title of the thread.)

It is "So".

 

[emsr2d2]

It is "so".

emsr2d2