What Does โRun around after sbโ Mean?
โRun around after sbโ means to spend a lot of time and effort trying to help someone or do things for them, often in a busy or tiring way.
Introduction
The phrase โrun around after sbโ is a common phrasal verb used in everyday English. It describes the action of being very busy trying to take care of someone elseโs needs or requests. Often, this can feel exhausting, as you are constantly moving or doing things for that person. Understanding the โrun around after sb meaningโ helps learners express situations where they are helping or chasing after someone, usually to assist them or solve their problems. This phrase is useful in both formal and informal contexts and can describe care, responsibility, or sometimes annoyance.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: run around after sb (run around after somebody)
- Type: Intransitive
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: To spend time and effort trying to help or catch someone
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โRun around after sbโ is an inseparable phrasal verb, which means the verb and the particles always stay together.
Pattern: run around after + somebody
Example: She is always running around after her little brother.
How to Use Run around after sb?
You use โrun around after sbโ when talking about helping or trying to satisfy someoneโs many needs, often in a busy, tiring way. It can describe parents looking after children, employees helping demanding bosses, or friends taking care of others.
This phrase often carries a sense of effort and sometimes frustration because the person is very busy doing things for someone else.
Examples
My mother spends all day running around after my younger siblings. She never gets a break.
- Heโs always running around after his kids, making sure they have everything they need.
- Donโt run around after him too much; he should learn to do things himself.
- She ran around after the guests, trying to make sure everyone was comfortable.
- They were running around after the new manager, helping him settle in.
These examples show how โrun around after sb in a sentenceโ is used to describe busy, helpful actions.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes people confuse โrun around after sbโ with similar phrases or use wrong word order.
- Incorrect: She runs after around the kids.
- Correct: She runs around after the kids.
- Incorrect: I run around my boss after.
- Correct: I run around after my boss.
Remember, โaroundโ always comes directly after โrun,โ and โafterโ follows with the person.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include โrun after sbโ and โrun around.โ โRun after sbโ means to chase or follow someone physically, often literally. โRun aroundโ alone means to be busy moving from place to place but does not specify helping someone.
โRun around after sbโ combines these ideas to mean being busy helping or attending to someoneโs needs.
Common Collocations
People often run around after:
- Children: Taking care of kidsโ needs.
- Boss: Completing tasks for a demanding manager.
- Guests: Making sure visitors are comfortable.
- Family members: Helping relatives with errands or problems.
These common collocations show who the action is usually directed towards.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of run around after sb:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using โrun around after sbโ:
Anna: My day was so busy. I was running around after the kids all morning.
Ben: That sounds tiring! Do you get any help?
Anna: Not really. It feels like Iโm always the one running around after everyone.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the phrase โrun around after sbโ:
- She ___________ her little brother when he was sick.
- They donโt want to ___________ their boss all day.
- Iโm tired of ___________ my friends to help them.
FAQ
- Q: Is โrun around after sbโ formal or informal?
A: It is generally informal but can be used in everyday conversations. - Q: Can I use โrun around afterโ with things, not people?
A: No, it is usually used with people, not objects. - Q: What is the difference between โrun after sbโ and โrun around after sbโ?
A: โRun after sbโ means to chase someone physically, while โrun around after sbโ means to be busy helping or attending to them. - Q: Is โrun around after sbโ separable?
A: No, it is inseparable; the words must stay together. - Q: Can I use โrun around after sbโ in the past tense?
A: Yes, for example, โShe ran around after her children yesterday.โ
