Model 1: People spend years really knowing who somebody is. Key: It takes people years to really know who somebody is. Model 2: I spent three days writing the novel. Key: It took me three days to write the novel. 1. I spend five minutes making a sandwich every morning. 2. Even if I'll spend six weeks doing the job, I am determined to take it. 3. She spent a few minutes reading the menu before she started to order her food.