take into account

Writers sometimes stop at "Please take into" or mix up "take into account" and "account for." Use "take into account" (or "take into consideration"/"consider") to mean "bear in mind." Use "account for" to mean "explain/justify" or "include/adjust in a total." Never leave "Please take into" hanging.

Below are short rules, quick checks, and ready-to-paste rewrites for work, school, and casual contexts.

Quick decision rule

Use "take into account" to mean "consider." Use "account for" to mean "explain" or "include/adjust in calculations." If the sentence ends "Please take into," finish it or replace it with a single verb like "consider," "note," "include," or "account for."

"Consider" = take into account / take into consideration.
"Explain/include in totals" = account for.
If unsure, swap the phrase with "consider" and with "account for" - keep the option that preserves the intended meaning.

Core explanation: the non-interchangeable senses

Take into account = consider, bear in mind (mental action).

Account for = (a) explain/justify a cause, or (b) include/allow for in a calculation or plan.

"Please take into" by itself is incomplete; finish it or use a single verb.

Consider → take into account / take into consideration / consider.
Explain/include in totals → account for.
Never write: "Please take into" without an object.

Wrong: Please take into the delay when you plan the route.
Right: Please account for the delay when you plan the route.
Wrong: Please take into the customer's allergies in the menu.
Right: Please take the customer's allergies into account when planning the menu.

Real usage and tone - formal vs conversational

"Take into account" suits recommendations, analyses, and formal registers where you ask someone to weigh factors. "Account for" fits financial, technical, or investigative contexts where you mean "explain" or "include in calculations."

In casual messages, shorter verbs like "remember," "factor in," or "include" keep tone friendly and direct.

Formal/neutral: use "take into account" or "account for" depending on meaning.
Casual: prefer "remember," "factor in," or "include."

Usage (formal): Please take into account the regulatory timeline when drafting the memo. (consider)
Usage (technical): Please account for the currency conversion in the expense sheet. (include in calculations)

Work examples - quick fixes for emails and reports

Choose "account for" when the task is to include numbers or explain causes. Choose "take into account" (or "consider") when you want someone to weigh a factor in a decision.

Work - Wrong: Please take into the monthly forecast the late deliveries.
Work - Right: Please account for the late deliveries in the monthly forecast.
Work - Wrong: Please take into account the client's budget when you price the proposal.
Work - Right: Please consider the client's budget when pricing the proposal.
Work - Wrong: Please take into any schedule conflicts in the launch plan.
Work - Right: Please account for any schedule conflicts in the launch plan.

School examples - essays, lab reports, and feedback

In academic writing, use "account for" when adjusting data or explaining results; use "take into account" when asking readers to consider context, limitations, or factors.

School - Wrong: Please take into account the evaporation loss in your results section.
School - Right: Please account for the evaporation loss in your results section.
School - Wrong: Please take into the instructor's comments when rewriting the draft.
School - Right: Please take the instructor's comments into account when rewriting the draft.
School - Wrong: Please take into the survey the students' backgrounds when analyzing outcomes.
School - Right: Please take the students' backgrounds into account when analyzing the survey outcomes.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence instead of the phrase alone. Context usually shows whether you mean "consider" or "explain/include."

Casual examples - texts, chats, and quick notes

For short messages use "remember," "factor in," or "include" for clarity and speed.

Casual - Wrong: Please take into account the traffic - I might be late.
Casual - Right: Please factor in traffic - I might be late.
Casual - Wrong: Please take into the recipe that we only have almond milk.
Casual - Right: Please remember we only have almond milk when you make the recipe.
Casual - Wrong: Please take into the plan that I'll be out Friday.
Casual - Right: Please include that I'll be out Friday when you make the plan.

Rewrite help: 3 quick steps + paste-ready rewrites

Three-step fix: (1) Ask: do you mean "consider" or "explain/include"? (2) If the sentence ends "Please take into", finish the phrase or replace it with a single verb. (3) Tighten: use "consider," "note," "include," or "account for" as appropriate.

Swap test: replace with "consider." If meaning holds, use "take into account."
Calculation/explanation: choose "account for."
Shorten where possible: "Please note" or "Please include" are often clearer.

Rewrite:
Original: Please take into account that sales drop on weekends.
Rewrite: Please note that sales drop on weekends.
Rewrite:
Original: Please take into the budget the additional equipment costs.
Rewrite: Please account for the additional equipment costs in the budget.
Rewrite: Original (Slack): Please take into the schedule the half-day meeting. Rewrite (Slack): Please add the half-day meeting to the schedule.

Grammar, hyphenation, and spacing notes

"Take into account" and "take into consideration" must include their object - do not write "take into" alone. Gerunds like "taking into account" are fine. "Account for" is transitive and needs an object (account for X). There are no hyphens and no extra spaces: write the phrases exactly.

Correct: "Taking the delays into account, we rescheduled."
Incorrect: "Please take into the delays."
Avoid wordy fillers: "account for the fact that" can often be tightened to "because" or "since."

Wrong: Please take into the delays - we'll be late.
Right: Taking the delays into account, we'll be late.
Wrong: Please account for the fact that we are short-staffed.
Right: Please account for our short-staffing in the timeline.

Memory trick & quick tests

Three fast checks you can run in under five seconds: the swap test, the calculation test, and the explanation test.

Swap test: replace the phrase with "consider." If meaning stays the same, use "take into account."
Calculation test: if you are changing numbers or totals, use "account for."
Explanation test: if you want someone to explain causes, use "account for."

Example: "Please take into account the tax." → Swap: "Please consider the tax." Meaning preserved → use consideration form.
Example: "Please take into the forecast the new discount." → Swap: "Please include the new discount in the forecast." "Account for" fits better.

Similar mistakes to watch for

These nearby errors often cause confusion:

Leaving "Please take into" incomplete - always finish the phrase or use a single verb.
Using "account for" when you mean "consider" (e.g., "Please account for the risk" when you mean "Please keep the risk in mind").
Overusing "account for the fact that" - prefer concise alternatives like "since" or "because" when possible.

FAQ

Is "please take into" grammatically correct?

No. "Please take into" is incomplete. Finish it ("please take into account") or replace it with a single verb such as "please consider" or "please include."

When should I use "account for" instead of "take into account"?

Use "account for" when you mean "explain/justify" or "include/adjust in totals or plans." Use "take into account" when you want someone to consider or bear something in mind.

Can I use "taking into account" in formal writing?

Yes. "Taking into account" is acceptable in formal writing. For tighter prose, consider "considering," "given," or "note that."

Is "be accounted for" correct?

Yes. "Be accounted for" means "be explained" or "be included." Example: "The discrepancy was accounted for after we reconciled the entries."

What quick fix should I use when unsure?

Run the swap test: try "consider" and then "explain/include." Use whichever preserves your intended meaning. For short messages, "remember" or "include" are usually safe and clear.

Want a quick sanity check for your sentence?

If you're unsure which phrase fits, paste the sentence into a grammar or rewriting tool and test the swaps: consider ↔ account for. Save a few favorite rewrites (formal, neutral, casual) to paste when editing emails or notes.