Race vs Run and find your father

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Race

Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun

Run and find your father

Top 1,000 (very common)
 RaceRun and find your father
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/reɪs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/reɪs/"]/🇬🇧 //rʌn//🇺🇸 //rʌn//
MeaningA competition to see who is the fastest.To move quickly on foot.
ExampleThe race was thrilling, with teams competing at full speed.You need to run and find your father before he leaves the park.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR levelA2-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationsbig, close, tight, have, hold, organize, be held, be run, take place, meet, meeting, winner, in a/​the race, out of a/​the race, race against, close, tight, two-horse, be in, be involved in, join, in a/​the race, race between, race for, human, alien, mixed, relations, equality, discrimination, among races, between races, from a race, on the basis of race, on (the) grounds of race, human, alien, mixed, relations, equality, discrimination, among races, between races, from a race, on the basis of race, on (the) grounds of racerun fast, run outside, run away, run in a race, run a marathon
Antonymswalk, crawl-
Common mistakesConfusing 'race' with 'race against' (use 'race against time' when emphasizing urgency), Using the plural 'races' without context, as it may imply multiple types of competitions, Mixing 'race' with 'racing', which refers specifically to the action rather than the eventConfused with 'run out' meaning to exhaust a supply., Using 'ran' instead of 'run' for general instructions., Mixing up 'running' as a sport and 'run' as movement.
Usage notesUse 'race' when talking about competitions involving speed, such as running, driving, or sport. It is informal when talking about a fun, casual event but can be formal in official contexts like sports competitions.Use 'run' when you're referring to moving fast. It’s suitable for most contexts, but can be informal when used in casual settings.

Frequently asked questions: Race vs Run and find your father

What's the difference between Race and Run and find your father?

Race: A competition to see who is the fastest. Run and find your father: To move quickly on foot.

Can you show an example of each?

Race: The race was thrilling, with teams competing at full speed. Run and find your father: You need to run and find your father before he leaves the park.

Can I use Race and Run and find your father interchangeably?

Not always. Race and Run and find your father are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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