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THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE

Run before you can walk

Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Meaning in plain English

Try difficult tasks before learning the basic skills they require.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

The expression in a sentence

  1. I was trying to run before I could walk by attempting a complex song before learning the chords.

03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Quick idiom quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the expression?

Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?

Try difficult tasks before learning the basic skills they require.
Show the answer

Run before you can walk — Try difficult tasks before learning the basic skills they require.

Try your own sentence (optional)

Make it yours

Write one sentence using “Run before you can walk” about your own life.

Check your sentence

Does your sentence match this meaning?

Try difficult tasks before learning the basic skills they require.

Compare: I was trying to run before I could walk by attempting a complex song before learning the chords.

Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.

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GO DEEPER

More ways to understand and use it

When to use it

Use this saying when advising gradual learning or careful development. It can sound patronising, so explain which basics would help rather than simply dismissing someone’s ambition.

More examples in context

  • Let’s not run before we can walk; we need a working prototype first.
  • The tutor encouraged us to master short dialogues instead of running before we could walk.

Usage note

Change the pronouns and tense as needed: “run before we can walk” or “ran before I could walk”. The idiom concerns preparation, rather than literal exercise.

A short conversation

A: Can I start with the advanced animation project?
B: You may be running before you can walk. Would you try the basic controls first?
A: Yes, that will make the larger project easier.

One more practice question

Which learner is trying to run before they can walk?

A. A learner building basic skills before trying harder tasks.
B. A beginner tackling a complex task without its basic skills.

Check your answer

B. The difficult task comes before the necessary foundation.

Related lessons

Meaning and usage checked against Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.

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