shopping errand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shopping errand" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a task or chore that involves going out to buy groceries or other items. Example: "I have a shopping errand to run before the party starts, so I need to leave soon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

On a very hot day in August 1994, Mike Noonan, a best-selling novelist, casually says goodbye to his wife, Johanna, as she leaves their house in Derry, Me., to run a shopping errand.

The New York Times - Books

The move came as such a surprise, she said, that hundreds of day trippers were caught stranded on the Turkish side without the resources to get home via Kilis, after a visit to a doctor or a shopping errand in Turkey.

The New York Times

It had been a long day – Friday prayers, a food shopping errand at his mother's behest, hosting – but also a happy occasion, as people stopped by to welcome an uncle home to North Waziristan, in tribal Pakistan, from a work excursion to the United Arab Emirates.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

As the civil war escalated, he carried out shopping errands for the Syrian president's London-educated wife, Asma.

The Guardian

I stared at my phone, debating whether to use a mobile app to enlist an assistant for help with the shopping errands.

The New York Times - Tech

Behind him, an American flag flew and water whispered in a fountain where Summit's parents like to bring their toddlers between shopping errands.

The New York Times

ON a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon when most people had abandoned shopping errands to enjoy the outdoors, Mary Mancuso was a woman with a mission.

The New York Times

Her travel diary revealed that she cycled, walked and drove for shopping errands depending on where she went and what kind of store she shopped at.

European Transport Research Review

However, unloading our weekly shopping errands to chatbots or digital assistants will take careful management and credible industry standards around accountability for AI commerce.

Forbes

Mezi is the newest contender and while it has plenty of competition, the service wants to set itself apart with what its founders call a "maniacal" focus on e-commerce, helping users with the most time-consuming shopping errands.

TechCrunch

Your bright future might well contain a super cool synergy of Star Trek, Star Wars, James Bond and the Jetsons, with cars that fill up an empty tank and pay for gas automatically, not to mention sophisticated bots that can handle all of your shopping errands, from list preparation to finalizing payments.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "shopping errand" when you want to emphasize a specific, often short, trip made for the purpose of buying something.

Common error

Avoid using "shopping errand" to describe extensive or leisurely shopping trips. It's best suited for quick, targeted purchases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shopping errand" functions as a noun phrase. It describes a specific type of task or activity, which is going out to purchase items. As Ludwig AI states, this is grammatically correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "shopping errand" refers to a short trip for buying specific items. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically sound. While relatively rare in overall usage, it appears most often in News & Media contexts. Alternatives like "grocery run" or "quick shopping trip" can be used depending on the context. When writing, remember that "shopping errand" implies a brief, targeted purchase rather than a lengthy shopping excursion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

grocery run

Focuses specifically on buying groceries.

quick shopping trip

Emphasizes the brevity of the shopping activity.

trip to the shops

A more general way to describe going shopping.

market run

Suggests a trip to a market for shopping.

item purchasing trip

More formal and emphasizes the act of purchasing.

shopping expedition

Implies a more extensive and planned shopping activity.

retail outing

A leisurely trip centered around shopping.

supply acquisition trip

Focuses on obtaining necessary supplies.

goods procurement task

Very formal and emphasizes the task of getting goods.

buying necessities outing

Highlights the purchase of essential items.

FAQs

How can I use "shopping errand" in a sentence?

You can use "shopping errand" to describe a quick trip made for the purpose of buying something specific. For example, "I need to run a quick shopping errand to pick up some milk".

What's a good alternative to "shopping errand"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "grocery run" (if you're buying groceries), "quick shopping trip", or simply "trip to the shops".

Is "shopping errand" formal or informal?

"Shopping errand" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though it leans slightly towards informal. More formal alternatives might include "item purchasing trip".

What's the difference between "shopping errand" and "shopping spree"?

A "shopping errand" refers to a short, purposeful trip to buy something specific, while a "shopping spree" is a more extended and often impulsive shopping excursion.