In this mini episode, you will learn how to use the very common and useful word “errand.”
Episode 326 of the Everybody ESL podcast is a mini episode that teaches you how to use the very common and useful word “errand.” Send your questions about English and your comments and suggestions to EverybodyESL@gmail.com! (And let me know if you’d like to record the introduction to a future episode.)
Intro
“Hi, everyone! This is Mohadeseh, from Iran. And you’re listening to Everybody ESL.”
Welcome to episode 326 of Everybody ESL, the podcast for everybody who wants to improve their English, practice their English, or just learn more English. My name is Ben, and I have a mini episode for you today, where I am going to teach you about one English topic. You can subscribe to the Everybody ESL podcast at Apple podcasts and wherever you find your podcasts. If you like Everybody ESL, leave it a good review so other people can find out about it too. And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for me, please send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. Okay! Let’s get on with this mini episode.
The episode
In this episode, I want to talk to you about a useful word and the right way to use it. The word is errand. Errand. That’s spelled e-r-r-a-n-d. Errand.
Do you know what an errand is? An errand is a short trip that you take to accomplish something. A short trip that you take to accomplish some task or chore or obligation. An errand is usually something that you must do, not necessarily something that you would like to do. An example of an errand might be going to the grocery store to buy groceries or delivering something to a friend. An errand is a short trip that you take to do something like that. To do some task that you must do.
The reason I wanted to talk about this word, errand, is that there are three different verbs that we use when we talk about errands.
The first two might not sound so strange to you. They might make perfect sense to you the first time you hear them.
We talk about going on an errand. Going on an errand. Or going on some errands. Go on. That’s the first way we talk about errands. We go on errands. We might say, “Yesterday, I had to go on some errands.” Or “Yesterday, I went on some errands.”
The second verb that we use is do. To do an errand. Or to do some errands. This probably does not surprise you because we use the word do to mean all kinds of different things. And we can use it to mean “to accomplish an errand” or “to go on an errand.”
But it is the last verb that might be a little bit surprising to you. Because we can also talk about running an errand. Running an errand. That’s right: we use the verb to run when we talk about errands. We can go on an errand, we can do an errand, and we can also run an errand.
This might seem a little bit strange to you. We don’t usually talk about running something. We usually just talk about running. But we can use it with the word errand: to run an errand.
So that’s go on an errand, do an errand, or run an errand. I think these are all very natural and very common. And I think these are constructions you should know.
Outro
This is the end of episode 326 of Everybody ESL. Remember: if you have questions about English, or if you have comments for me, or if you would like to record an introduction that I can play at the beginning of future episodes—the same way Mohadeseh recorded the introduction you heard at the beginning of this episode—send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. I’ll be back soon with a new episode. And until then, keep going, keep practicing, and keep learning. I’ll see you soon. Goodbye!