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Business English Phrasal Verbs for Problems at Work: Run Out, Run Into, and More
- Apr 6, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 14
In this article: Workplace scenario and quiz
When something goes wrong at work, people often use simple phrasal verbs instead of longer, more formal language. These expressions are common in meetings, updates, and everyday workplace English. In this article, you’ll learn useful Business English phrasal verbs for talking about problems and difficult situations at work.
For more useful phrases for problems, delays, and difficult situations at work, see our full guide to Business English for problems at work.
Business English Phrases for Problems: Workplace Scenario Quiz
You’ve just finished updating a report for a morning meeting, and you need to print a few copies before everyone arrives. You send the file to the printer, walk over, and then realize nothing is coming out. When you check the tray, it’s empty.
A coworker asks what happened, and you say:
We _____ paper, so I couldn’t print the report.
A) ran
B) ran out
C) ran of
D) ran out of
Choose the correct option and listen to the sentence.
Using Business English Naturally at Work
Many learners understand the meaning of a phrase or phrasal verb when they read it. But the harder part is using it naturally in a real conversation at work.
That’s what you practice in Pro Vocabulary Lab.
Inside the program, you’ll work with:
• realistic workplace situations
• short dialogues from meetings and emails
• speaking practice with natural business English
Business English phrases for problems: meaning and examples
The correct answer is D) ran out of.
RUN OUT OF
phrasal verb
to use all of something, so there is none left
I think we’ve run out of coffee again.
They ran out of time and had to finish the rest the next day.
We’re running out of space in the stockroom.
Sorry, I ran out of battery during the call.
We ran out of milk, so I stopped at the store on the way home.
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Learn More Business English Phrasal Verbs with “Run”
Here are a few more useful Business English phrasal verbs with run. You’ll often hear these expressions in meetings, emails, and everyday conversations at work. Read the examples below and then try the quick quiz.
RUN BY
phrasal verb
to show an idea to someone so they can give you their opinion
I need to run this idea by my manager before we make a decision.
Can I run the new schedule by you to see if it works?
She ran the plan by the team, and everyone agreed.
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RUN INTO
phrasal verb
1) to meet someone by accident; 2) to face a problem unexpectedly
We ran into a problem with the software this morning.
I ran into my old coworker at the airport.
The project ran into delays because the client changed the plan.
RUN UP
phrasal verb
to make a cost grow by using or spending a lot
We ran up a big bill after the team dinner.
The project ran up extra costs because of the changes.
She ran up her phone bill while traveling.
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RUN OVER
phrasal verb
to continue longer than expected
The meeting ran over, so we finished later than planned.
Sorry I’m late — the call ran over.
The interview ran over because we had a lot to discuss.
RUN ACROSS
phrasal verb
to find something or someone by chance
I ran across an old report that might help us.
She ran across your email while checking the files.
We ran across a good article about this topic yesterday.
Ready to Practice? Take the Quiz Below!
Choose the correct option, check your answer. Then listen to the sentences.
Download Business English Phrasal Verbs with "Run" Worksheet
ANSWER KEY - QUIZ
We had a lot of important points to discuss, so the meeting ran _____, and I ended up being late for my doctor's appointment.
A) up
B) over
We’ve run _____ a few problems, but we’re working to fix them.
A) to
B) into
We’ve run _____ quite a few expenses this month, so we need to review the budget.
A) off
B) up
I ran _____ an interesting article about the industry while researching for our next strategy.
A) across
B) over
I need to run this proposal _____ the boss before we move forward.
A) for
B) by
Want more practice with natural workplace English? Explore Pro Vocabulary Lab for full lessons, realistic workplace dialogues, and speaking practice.
Erin West is a Business English coach, writer, and founder of RealBusinessEnglish.com. She creates practical lessons, quizzes, and learning materials based on real workplace English.
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