I took three hours to write this composition.

1. It took me three hours to write this composition.
2. *I took three hours to write this composition.
Source: Li Zhengxuan et al., A Dictionary of Commonly Used English Words, p.481.

3. It takes me two hours to go to work and come back by bus every day.
4. *I take two hours to go to work and come back by bus every day.
Source: Yang Xiahua, A Dictionary of Common Errors in English, p.340.

According to the authors, #2 and #4 are incorrect.
Are #2 and #4 acceptable to native speakers?

I don't see anything wrong with saying: I take a certain amount of time to do something.

I am not a grammarian so I can't comment from a technical viewpoint. I don't like 2 or 4 but 2 is something that I might write and then correct.

If it was already established that I was referring to my own experience I might omlt "me" from 1 and 3

"It took me three hours to write this composition" is the more usual way of saying it. That doesn't mean I think the other one is wrong.

Are they telling people the wrong way to say something in addition to telling them the right way?

(I am only used to #1 and #3.)

Tarheel said:

(I am only used to #2 and #4.)

Click to expand...

What does the sentence in the parentheses mean?

That is wrong. I meant to say I am only used to sentences #1 and #3.