Is there any reason for putting "take a" at the front of "look at"? Not just "look at"?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
Using "take a" instead of just "look at" sounds less demanding and less rude in English. When you use "Look at this graph," it almost sounds as though it is a command that he or she cannot refuse. Using "Take a look at this graph" sounds more like a request than a demand. You can use either, but if you told a native English speaker to "Look at this graph," they may find you a little rude and demanding.