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Koji from Japan Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

It takes/needs courage to ...

It seems (a) is far more common than (b). But I feel ‘needs’ is also appropriate in terms of meaning. Do you have any comments about why ‘needs’ is not (very) good?

(a) It takes courage to speak the truth.
(b) It needs courage to speak the truth.
  

Top answer

A person ( You, one ) needs courage to do something. A situation takes courage.

— Fivejedjon

  • A person ( You, one ) needs courage to do something.
  • A situation takes courage.
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3 Answers
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A person (You, one) needs courage to do something. A situation takes courage.
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Thank you very much, fivejedjon. Actually, I had seen sentences like, “The area needs more lights,” (The subject is a thing, not a person) which made me confused. But now I see the point is ‘situation.’ Thank you again.
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Koji from JapanThe area needs more lights,”
That sentence shows that my response was too simplicist.
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