take a look

Meaning

This expression means to examine, read, or inspect something briefly. In a professional environment, it is a polite and collaborative way to ask a colleague or manager to review a document, email, or project without making it sound like a heavy task.

Examples

• Could you take a look at this draft before I send it to the client?

  Could you take a look at this draft before I send it to the client?

• I'll take a look at the quarterly report first thing tomorrow morning.

  I'll take a look at the quarterly report first thing tomorrow morning.

• Our IT team needs to take a look at the server issues we've been experiencing.

  Our IT team needs to take a look at the server issues we've been experiencing.

• Have you had a chance to take a look at the proposal I emailed you?

  Have you had a chance to take a look at the proposal I emailed you?

• Let's take a look at the project timeline to see if we are still on track.

  Let's take a look at the project timeline to see if we are still on track.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Please take a look to this report.

  ✓ Please take a look at this report.

  'Take a look' must be followed by the preposition 'at' when referring to an object, not 'to'.

• ✗ I will make a look at your CV later.

  ✓ I will take a look at your CV later.

  The correct collocation is 'take a look', not 'make a look'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Could you ___ at this spreadsheet and let me know if the numbers are correct?

  💡 Use a common three-word phrase meaning to review or examine.

  Show answer

  take a look

• I need to ___ at the contract before I can sign it.

  💡 This phrase means to inspect or review something.

  Show answer

  take a look