take a shower

Meaning

To wash your body while standing under sprayed water. This is the standard expression in American English, while British English speakers often use 'have a shower'. Both are perfectly natural and widely understood.

Examples

• I always take a shower in the morning to help me wake up.

  I always take a shower in the morning to help me wake up.

• She took a quick shower before heading to work.

  She took a quick shower before heading to work.

• You should take a hot shower to relax your muscles.

  You should take a hot shower to relax your muscles.

• I need to take a shower because I just finished my workout.

  I need to take a shower because I just finished my workout.

• He is taking a shower right now, so he can't answer the phone.

  He is taking a shower right now, so he can't answer the phone.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I make a shower every morning.

  ✓ I take a shower every morning.

  We do not use the verb 'make' with 'shower'. The correct collocations are 'take a shower' or 'have a shower'.

• ✗ I need to take shower.

  ✓ I need to take a shower.

  The singular countable noun 'shower' in this idiom requires the indefinite article 'a'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I usually ___ a shower right after I work out.

  💡 The standard verb used in American English for washing yourself.

  Show answer

  take

• He is ___ a shower, so please call back in ten minutes.

  💡 Present continuous form of the verb.

  Show answer

  taking