Take for granted
English idiom meaning and examples
Take for granted means
to fail to appreciate something or someone.
To take for granted means to not appreciate something or someone as you should
as you believe it will always stay the same or always be available.
Look at this example sentence.
She had always taken her a good health for granted...
until she got infected by the virus.
Here we can see that she did not appreciate or value the fact that she had good health.
She took her health for granted.
It wasn't until she got infected that she realized that she hadn't appreciated how healthy she was.
So saying this in another way
To take for granted
means to give little attention to or to underestimate the value of something, or someone,
especially once it has gone.
Let's look at some more examples.
He doesn't appreciate how lucky he is to have his job.
He just takes it for granted.
This is like saying
he doesn't fully appreciate the fact he has a job
during the current situation there are many people without a job or who don't have a job
so this person is taking it for granted
He should appreciate it more.
It was only when she left him that he realized that he had taken his wife for granted.
Again, we can see that he didn't appreciate his wife while they were together
and he assumed that they would always be together.
Humans have taken the planet's natural resources for granted for centuries
without even thinking that one day they could run out.
Yes, many people don't think about how our natural resources, like clean water,
may one day no longer be available
especially if we don't take care of them.
A lot of people take the internet for granted...
until they no longer have it.
Yes, I bet this has happened to you.
You generally take internet for granted
until you don't have it anymore.
That is when you fully appreciate what you used to have.
Take for granted can also mean assume something as true.
When a person assumes that something is true without even questioning it or knowing if it is true or not.
Our example sentence:
I'm sorry I forgot to officially invite you to my birthday party.
I took it for granted that you'd come.
Yes, I assumed you would come to my party because you always come.
He took it for granted that he would easily find a job once he had finished university.
Yes, he assumed or believed it would be easy to find a job.
It wasn't the case.
You may have noticed that this English idiom needs an object.
Take something for granted
Take someone for granted.
You can see this object is in the middle of the idiom.
Let's practice and use this idiom.
Right now I want you to think about your life and if you are currently taking something for granted.
Is there something you should appreciate more and not be taking for granted?
Have you ever taken something for granted in the past?
Let us know in the comments below.
I hope you found this lesson about the English idiom take for granted useful.
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