PHRASAL VERBS, IDIOMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS USING ‘RUN’

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR PHRASAL VERBS AND IDIOMS

PHRASAL VERBS, IDIOMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS USING ‘RUN’

Exercise 1:

The 'prompt' sentences on the left all have a 'follow-on' sentence which is divided into two parts, in the middle and on the right. Match the prompt sentences with the two parts of the follow-on sentences, and complete these follow-on sentences with a phrasal verb using 'run' and a particle or particles from the box. Make sure you use the correct form of the verb.

across        around        away         by        down        from         into        off        on        out       over        through        to      up       with

Prompt sentence	Follow-on sentence part 1	Follow-on sentence part 2
(1) I'm not very happy with the people I work with. (2) I saw Janine for the first time in years today. (3) Look at this wonderful vase I found. (4) I've always been a very independent person. (5) I am absolutely exhausted. (6) I really want to discuss my ideas for the company with someone. (7) We need enough agendas for everyone coming to the conference. (8) Last winter was particularly cold. (9) I really must deal with these accounts. (10) I've got a lot to do at work today. (11) I'm having a lovely holiday in Italy, and I really don't want to leave. (12) I've got one leg slightly longer than the other. (13) I think that everyone's here. (14) I had a small accident in my car last month. (15) I need a bit of romance and adventure in my life.	I _____ _____ a huge heating bill… I hope the morning meeting doesn't _____ _____... It's been like that ever since I was _____ _____... I've been _____ _____ at work… I'll just _____ _____ the names on my list… I suppose that when my money _____ _____... I couldn't believe it when the bill for repairs _____ _____... I was wondering if I could _____ them _____ you… Perhaps I should just _____ _____ _____... If I _____ _____... I _____ _____ her… It began when I tried to _____ _____ _____ home… I _____ _____ it… I guess I'm a bit fed up with them _____ me _____... I've been _____ _____ _____ them…	…I'll have to come home. …crossing a pedestrian crossing as a child. …150 copies, that should be enough. …as a result. …all day. …the first man who catches my eye! …to make sure.  …in an antique shop in Brighton. …all day without a break. …all the time. …when I was 10 years old. …for too long. …in a café on the High Street. …some time this morning? …almost £1000.

Exercise 2:

The idioms and other expressions in bold in sentences 1 – 17 can all be completed with a word from the box. These words can be found by reading from left to right () and from right to left (), following the direction of the arrows. The meaning of each idiom / expression is explained in italics at the end of each sentence. Note that the words in the box are not in the same order as the sentences.

1	If you tell her the truth, you run the _____ of making her angry. (to do something that may have a bad result)
2	I've been working hard all day, and I'm beginning to run out of _____. (to become too tired to finish something)
3	Derek's had several run-_____ with the management recently. (arguments)
4	I should call a doctor. Jamie's running a very high _____. (to be very hot because you are ill)
5	I must hurry. I'm running a bit _____ this morning. (doing things or arriving in places later than planned)
6	I think that you're being too ambitious. You shouldn't try to run before you can _____. (to try to achieve something very difficult immediately, without first doing more basic things)
7	Outside teaching hours the classrooms are shut and locked, but students have _____ run of the library, the computer room, the restaurant and the gardens. (to be allowed to go anywhere in a place and do what you want)
8	Would you mind running your _____ over this report? (to look at or read something very quickly)
9	If you asked Susan for date, she would probably run a _____. (an informal expression which means that someone would try to avoid a situation because he / she is frightened or embarrassed)
10	I wish you would stop trying to run my _____! (to keep telling someone what they should do in a way that is annoying)
11	Things are becoming difficult at work. Perhaps I should _____ and run. (to get out of a situation when it becomes too difficult or unpleasant)
12	I've been running the company for forty years and I've had a good run for my _____, but now it's time to retire. (to have a long period of time when you are successful or happy)
13	I've been feeling a bit run-_____ recently. (so tired that you do not feel well)
14	Sampera was confident at the beginning of the game, but Waterman has won all the sets and is running _____ around him. (to do something much better than someone else)
15	They aren't very good parents. They let their children run _____ all the time. (to behave in an uncontrolled way)
16	Liverpool are playing a fantastic match, and with the half-time score at 3–0, Spurs are running _____. (to be worried because you know that your opponent is very good or strong)
17	As the match enters its final minutes, feelings are running _____ at the Spurs end. (many people are angry or upset)

ANSWER KEY

Exercise 1: There are several possible combinations, but these are the best ones. You can probably guess the meanings of most of the phrasal verbs from their context. Use your dictionary to look up any that you don't know or can't guess. Remember, however, that one phrasal verb can have several meanings: make sure you find the right meaning in your dictionary. 1. I'm not very happy with the people I work with. I guess I'm a bit fed up with them running me down all the time. 2. I saw Janine for the first time in years today. I ran into her in a café on the High Street. 3. Look at this wonderful vase I found. I ran across it in an antique shop in Brighton. 4. I've always been a very independent person. It began when I tried to run away from home when I was 10 years old. 5. I am absolutely exhausted. I've been running around at work all day without a break. 6. I really want to discuss my ideas for the company with someone. I was wondering if I could run them by you some time this morning? 7. We need enough agendas for everyone coming to the conference. If I run off 150 copies, that should be enough. 8. Last winter was particularly cold. I ran up a huge heating bill as a result. 9. I really must deal with these accounts. I've been running away from them all day / for too long. 10. I've got a lot to do at work today. I hope the morning meeting doesn't run on for too long / all day. 11. I'm having a lovely holiday in Italy, and I really don't want to leave. I suppose that when my money runs out I'll have to come home. 12. I've got one leg slightly longer than the other. It's been like that ever since I was run down / over crossing a pedestrian crossing as a child. 13. I think that everyone's here. I'll just run through the names on my list to make sure. 14. I had a small accident in my car last month. I couldn't believe it when the bill for repairs ran to almost £1000. 15. I need a bit of romance and adventure in my life. Perhaps I should just run off with the first man who catches my eye! Exercise 2: 1. risk 2. steam (We can also say run out of gas) 3. ins 4. temperature 5. late 6. walk 7. free 8. eyes 9. mile (A mile is a measure of distance still used in the United Kingdom. 1 mile = 1.609 kilometres) 10. life 11. cut 12. money 13. down 14. rings (We can also say running circles around him) 15. wild (We can also say run riot, run amok or run amuck) 16. scared 17. high