Run errands means to go out and take care of a number of small tasks: going to the bank, the pharmacy, the post office, or picking up a parcel. One such task is an errand, done for yourself or as a favour: run an errand for a neighbour.
Want to remember run errands?
Write a sentence — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
run errands; run an errand for + person; ran (past)
- I spent Saturday morning running errands around the neighbourhood.
- Can you run a few errands for me while I finish this report?
- She runs errands for her elderly neighbour every Tuesday afternoon.
What changed
First versionI need to make some errands before the shops close.
RevisionI need to run some errands before the shops close.
Make might seem like the natural choice for talking about completing tasks, since it fits so many everyday chores. But errands doesn't go with make — the usual verb is run, even though no actual running is involved: run errands.
Don't confuse errands with affairs. I have some errands to run in town describes small everyday tasks. Affairs refers to more serious matters: sort out your affairs — get your matters in order, current affairs — recent events in the news. Have an affair means something else entirely — a secret romantic relationship.
Your turn
I have to ___ this afternoon: the bank, the pharmacy and the post office.
Show the answer
run errands — The bank, the pharmacy and the post office are typical errands, and errands goes with run. Make doesn't go with errands, so that option is wrong.
Describe a list of things you need to do outside the house today. Name at least two places.
After work today I need to run a few errands: collect a parcel from the post office and buy medicine at the pharmacy.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.