undertook

Undertook is the simple past tense of the verb undertake. The associated past participle is undertaken, which is used with auxiliary have/has/had to form perfect tenses and with passive constructions. Undertake itself is transitive and typically takes a direct object, and it is often followed by a to-infinitive clause to express an obligation or promise.

Etymology and form: The word combines the prefix under- with take, originally conveying the sense of taking upon oneself a task or responsibility. It appears in Middle English in forms such as under-taken or undertaken, reflecting its evolution from a phrase meaning to undertake or undertake upon oneself.

Usage and meaning: Undertook is common in formal or written English, including business, legal, and historical contexts. It can indicate a commitment to perform a task: The committee undertook to review the policy. It can describe actively taking on a task: The organization undertook a major renovation. In present contexts, the corresponding present tense is undertake or undertakes (I/we undertake; he/she/it undertakes). The phrase undertook to do something signals a promise to perform it, as in She undertook to complete the report by Friday.

Examples: The company undertook a comprehensive restructuring. The researchers undertook a long-term study. She undertook to improve the accuracy of the measurements. The project has undertaken several new initiatives.

Notes: Undertake is an irregular verb in its past tense form, with past tense being undertook and past participle undertook? No, the past participle is undertaken. In formal writing, choose the correct tense to reflect time and aspect, and use undertaken for perfect constructions (has undertaken). Related terms include undertaking (the act or task) and undertaker (a funeral director, a different sense historically related to the root).