The police ran _______ the thief.

The police ran _______ the thief.

• A. Before
• B. After
• C. To
• D. Into

Answer: (B)

Phrasal verbs with run show motion and the idea of pursuing someone. The natural choice here is after, forming the common phrase run after, which means to chase someone. So “The police ran after the thief” conveys the officers chasing him to catch him. The other prepositions shift the meaning: before would imply being ahead of or happening earlier than the thief, which doesn’t describe chasing; to would mean moving toward the thief, not pursuing him; into would usually mean colliding with or entering him, which again isn’t about pursuing.

Phrasal verbs with run show motion and the idea of pursuing someone. The natural choice here is after, forming the common phrase run after, which means to chase someone. So “The police ran after the thief” conveys the officers chasing him to catch him.

The other prepositions shift the meaning: before would imply being ahead of or happening earlier than the thief, which doesn’t describe chasing; to would mean moving toward the thief, not pursuing him; into would usually mean colliding with or entering him, which again isn’t about pursuing.