Monday, 11 April 2016

Phrasal Verbs: 'Get'


  • Get across
  • Get along / Get on with
  • Get around
  • Get at
  • Get away
  • Get down
  • Get down to
  • Get on
  • Get out of
  • Get over

Get across

= to communicate.
= to make someone understand something. (Especially if the details are too difficult to understand or if the person being explained to understands poorly).
  • Although I couldn't speak the language, I managed to get my meaning across when necessary.
  • Your meaning didn't really get across.
  • He's not very good at getting his idea across.

Get along - Get on with

= to have a good / friendly relationship with someone.
(get on is used more in Britain)
  • Even though there are six of them sharing the house, they all get on well with each other.
  • He doesn't get along well with his mother-in-law.
  • Our new boss is very easy to get on with.

Get around

1. = to become known. To spread or to circulate. If news or information gets around, people tell other people, so that soon many people know about it.
  • It's a small place, so news and gossip get around pretty quickly.
  • The news of his arrest got around quickly.
  • News soon got around that Matthew was back in town.
2. = to find a way of avoiding a difficult or unpleasant situation, so that you don't have to deal with it.
  • There is no way of getting around it - you are going to have to tell her the truth.
  • Isn't there any way of getting around the regulations?

Get at

1. = to reach, to access to something.
  • The cupboard is too high for me to get at.
  • The report is locked in the cabinet and I can't get at them.
2. = to suggest something indirectly, to imply. (used only in the continuous tense)
  • What exactly are you getting at? (=trying to say, suggest)

Get away

1. = to go away from someone or something
  • Get away from me!
  • Get away from that cake!
  • It was so busy that Francisca couldn't get away from the phone all day.
2. = to escape from someone who is chasing you.
  • They tried to get away from the police but they weren't quick enough.
3. = to have a holiday.
  • We hope to get away for a couple of weeks around Christmas.

Get down

1. = to cause someone to be depressed.
  • This weather is getting me down
  • Don't let these problems get you down too much.

Get down to

1. = to reach the point of dealing with something.
2. = to begin to work on something seriously. To give serious attention to something.
3. = to finally start doing something, after you have been avoiding it or after something has prevented you from doing it.
  • Now, let's get down to business
  • It's time I got down to some serious work.
  • Once it is Summer, we will get down to painting the house.

 

Get on

1. = to put yourself on or in something
  • I get on the bus at 8am every morning.
  • We got on the train just before it left.
2. = to remind someone to do something; to continue
  • Your story is taking all day. Get on with it!

Get out of

1. = to avoid something
  • He always tells his parents he has homework to get out of doing the dishes.
  • She was lucky to get out of that dangerous situation.
2. = to physically remove yourself from somewhere or something
  • I got out of bed as soon as my alarm went off.
  • The police officer told me to get out of the car.

Get over

1. = to recover from something or return to your usual state of health or happiness.
  • I thought he would never get over her illness.
  • It took her a long time to get over their separation.
  • He never got over the shock of losing his wife.
2. = to overcome or deal with or gain control of something.
  • She can't get over her shyness.

Can't get over

1. = to be amazed or surprised by something.
  • I can't get over how much your kids have grown.

Now work through the following exercises:

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