He_____the bus so that he could reach office in time.
options given:
a. ran for
b. ran into
c. took
d. ran after
I could not solve this question and find it difficult to understand difference in the options.
@Edit
ran for ran into and ran after are prepositional phrases that all i know but i am unable to determine the usage of each word.
ran after:here's what i researched.
Yes, ran after is a (transitive) phrasal verb.
To "run after" someone means to chase them with the intent to catch them and interact with them in some way.
If you parse it as a verb + a prepositional phrase, you would have a meaning of "to run at a later time than someone", which in most cases (including your example) does not make sense.
Source :https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/266745/is-ran-after-a-phrasal-verb
So ran after here too doesn't make sense
ran into: to bump into someone or something.
ran for: To flee toward something or some place, especially for shelter or safety:
took:reach for and hold
i am confused between ranfor and ran into and took
I need to analyze which option is correct and why. Am I missing out any rule?
Best Answer
ran for, ran after, and took all work in this sentence. In fact so does ran into but that is not what is being said here (that one is funny). The difference is their precise meaning. Note that the sentence is incorrect, it should read:
He __ the bus so he could reach the office in time.
1) He ran for the bus so he could reach the office in time.
This is the most reasonable answer and is appropriate for questions of this type. Using for implies there is a purpose to running, so you should follow it with something that justifies the action.
Examples: He ran for the presidential office. He ran for his own good.
2) He ran after the bus so he could reach the office in time.
He ran after shows an action taking place, use of after makes it sound like the man is chasing the bus, not merely getting it. This makes me think of the man actually trying to beat the bus to the bus stop.
Examples: He ran after the ball and into the street. He ran after the deer.
If there was a dog named Midnight, I would not say "He ran after Midnight." In this sentence, it sounds like midnight is a time. Instead, we would say "He ran for Midnight," just to avoid confusion.
3) He took the bus so he could reach the office in time.
This is plain and simple, and doesn't imply any need to run. The man simply took the bus.
Examples: He took the plane to get to Shanghai. He took the bag so that he would have books for class.