In the running

Start by observing whether a selection process is ongoing. When several candidates apply for an award, an open position, or a contract, the final choice takes time. Anyone who has not been eliminated remains an active option. Use 'in the running' to describe that open possibility. The phrase does not mean physical exercise, leading a race, or having already won. It means the decision makers are still considering that candidate.

Marco: 'Did you hear back from the festival organizer about our application?' Sophie: 'Yes! Our café passed the initial review, so we are in the running for the corner stall. They have not made their final choice yet, but we are still on the shortlist.' Marco: 'That is great news. At least we still have an active chance.' This direct dialogue between two café owners illustrates how to share progress realistically. Sophie avoids claiming victory prematurely. Instead, she uses 'in the running' to confirm that the business remains an active contender being evaluated by the committee.

This also comes up in Job interview essay: write clear work examples and The final straw.

Construct this phrase using a subject followed by the verb 'be' and the fixed chunk 'in the running'. Conjugate 'be' for your subject and time frame: 'I am', 'the team is', or 'three firms were'. Follow the idiom with 'for' plus a noun to name the prize, as in 'in the running for a festival space'. Use 'to' plus a base verb for an action, such as 'in the running to run the snack stall'. To ask a question, place 'be' before the subject: 'Is our café in the running?' For negatives, add 'not' after 'be': 'We are not in the running.' Never use 'do' or 'does' with this pattern.

Add the adverb 'still' when you want to emphasize that someone survived earlier cuts: 'Our café is still in the running.' This signals persistence across multiple rounds. When all hope disappears and an option is eliminated, use 'out of the running' or 'no longer in the running'. Remember that staying in the running does not measure how strong a chance is. An applicant can be an outsider with a small chance, but as long as the selection panel has not formally rejected them, they remain in the running. When things are completely undecided, speakers often say the outcome is /idioms/up-in-the-air/.

Use 'in the running' in everyday spoken English, team meetings, workplace updates, and broadcast sports journalism. It sounds natural and collaborative when speaking to coworkers, family members, or business partners. It communicates hope and progress without exaggerating success. If you are drafting a formal legal tender, an audit report, or an official procurement notice, choose plainer terminology such as 'still being considered' or 'under active evaluation'. The idiom remains widely accepted in professional speaking, but formal contracts prefer literal wording.

English learners sometimes produce errors by replacing prepositions or omitting articles. Never say 'on the running' or 'out from the running'; the correct idioms are strictly 'in the running' and 'out of the running'. Always retain the definite article: saying 'in running' is incorrect. Furthermore, do not treat 'running' here as an action verb in the continuous aspect. It functions as part of a fixed noun phrase. Finally, do not confuse being in the running with a confirmed victory. If you announce success before the organizer finishes the decision, colleagues might say you /idioms/jump-the-gun/.

Listen carefully to how native speakers link these words: /ɪn ðə ˈrʌnɪŋ/. The preposition 'in' connects directly to the definite article 'the', which is reduced to a weak schwa sound /ðə/. Speakers do not emphasize 'the'. Instead, the first syllable of 'running' (/ˈrʌn/) receives primary stress. The final '-ing' suffix is pronounced /ɪŋ/ with a nasal sound, without releasing a separate hard /g/ consonant. Because 'in the' passes very quickly, train your ear to recognize the rhythm: a quick weak lead-in followed by a clear, stressed syllable.

When you write an update about an unresolved decision, reconstruct the phrase deliberately from its core pieces. State who is being considered, use the correct present or past form of 'be', insert the fixed idiom 'in the running', and specify the opportunity with 'for' or 'to'. If you want to show that earlier hurdles have passed, place 'still' directly before the idiom. When you predict future outcomes based on evidence, review /grammar/future-predictions/. Practice reconstructing these pieces accurately so your updates remain clear, professional, and objective.