This is a download from BBC Learning English.

To find out more, visit our website.

The English we speak.

From BBC Learning English.

Hello and I'm Rob. Hello and welcome to the English we speak. I'm Faye

and I'm Rob hello.

Hey Rob how is your application to run in the marathon going?

Not great. I fill in a form and then I'm told to fill in another one.

Have you tried phoning someone?

Yes, and they won't give me a straight answer. They just keep giving me the runaround.

Well, that makes sense. If you're going to run in a marathon, you've got to run around.

No, Fay, giving someone the run around does not involve any exercise. If you give

someone the run around, it means you behave in an unhelpful way, possibly sending someone

from one place to another to get help.

If you are given the runaround, it can be very frustrating.

I'm sure it is.

I know lots of situations where I've been given the runaround.

Well, there's one place where you won't be given the runaround.

It's here with some helpful examples of this phrase.

When I called the bank to ask for a loan, they just gave me the runaround.

She went to the hospital to get the results of her test, but she just got the runaround.

Now she's going to make a formal complaint.

...