"Run It By Me" Meaning: Business English & IELTS Phrase Guide

Understanding This Useful Professional Phrase

Welcome to your professional communication toolkit. In graduate school, work meetings, or IELTS Speaking Part 3, one phrase keeps things clear and friendly: "Run it by me."

This run it by me business English phrase means: "Let me review this" or "Let me check this."

Below: meaning, easy examples, grammar rules, and how to use it at work, school, and in IELTS.

What "Run It By Me" Really Means

Simple meaning: "Show me your idea so I can give feedback or say yes."

Think of it like this: Your plan "runs by" someone who checks it.

Simple version: "Explain it to me."
Professional version: "Can you run the timeline by me again?"

Another example:
Simple: "Let me check."
Professional: "I'll run the draft by my manager."

Why This Phrase Works

For graduate students: Shows teamwork. "Run your section by me before we finish."

For professionals: Shows you're careful. "I'll run the email by you before sending."

For IELTS candidates: Natural idiom helps you get Band 7+ fluency. "I'd run it by my manager first."

8 Easy Examples (Copy & Use)

1. School group project: "I finished the introduction. Can you let me run it by you quickly?"

2. Work meeting: "Great plan. Just to be sure, can you run the deadlines by me one more time?"

3. Job interview: Question: "How do you handle unclear tasks?"
Answer: "I'd run my understanding by my manager to make sure I'm right."

4. Professional email: "Thanks for the draft. I'll run it by my supervisor and reply by 5 PM."

5. Team brainstorm: "Before we present, let's run all ideas by the team."

6. IELTS Part 3: Question: "Should employees question their boss?"
Answer: "In my culture, we run ideas by seniors first. It shows respect."

7. Client proposal: "I updated the budget. I'll run it by legal before sharing."

8. Remote team: "New process? I'll run it by the team in our chat."

Grammar Rules (How to Use It Correctly)

Correct pattern:
run + [the thing] + by + [the person]

Examples:

• "Run the plan by me."

• "I'll run it by you.

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Wrong: "Run it to me." (Wrong word)

• Wrong: "Run you by it." (Wrong order)

More formal ways to say it:

• "Could I get your feedback on this?"

• "I'd like to check this with you."

When to Use This Phrase

Ask for feedback:
"Can I run this by you?"

Check if you understand:
"Just to be sure, run it by me again."

Invite ideas:
"Feel free to run ideas by me anytime."

Pro Tip: Use with "That's a great point" for better conversations.

Try This Today

Use "run it by me" in one email, meeting, or practice answer this week.

Comment below: "Used it here: ___" 👇

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

What does 'run it by me' mean?

It means "let me review this" or "let me check this." It's a professional way to ask for feedback.

Can I use 'run it by me' in IELTS?

Yes! Especially in Part 3. It shows natural, native-like English and helps you get a higher score.

Is it formal or informal?

It's informal but very common in professional settings. For very formal situations, use "Could I get your feedback?" instead.

When should I NOT use this phrase?

Don't use it with very important executives or in formal academic writing. Use it with coworkers, classmates, and managers you know well.

Read up. Speak up. Rise up. One phrase at a time.