Learn English Phrasal Verbs:Get
Get is the largest pack on the site because English uses it for movement, recovery, relationships, and finishing something difficult.
Not sure when the object goes in the middle? Read separable and inseparable phrasal verbs.
get across
communicate
I got my ideas across in the meeting.
I communicated my ideas in the meeting.
Get the message across. The object usually sits in the middle.
0 of 5 practices
get about
travel around
He gets about a lot for work.
He travels around a lot for work.
0 of 5 practices
get around
spread
News gets around in a small town.
News spreads in a small town.
0 of 5 practices
get around
avoid a rule or problem
She found a way to get around the new rule.
She found a way to bypass the new rule.
0 of 5 practices
get at
suggest without saying directly
What are you trying to get at with that comment?
What are you trying to imply with that comment?
0 of 5 practices
get at
reach
He couldn’t get at the book on the top shelf.
He couldn’t reach the book on the top shelf.
0 of 5 practices
get away from
take a break from
They got away from the city for the weekend.
They took a break from the city for the weekend.
0 of 5 practices
get away with
escape punishment for
He got away with copying the homework.
He escaped punishment for copying the homework.
0 of 5 practices
get back from
return
I just got back from a trip to Spain.
I just returned from a trip to Spain.
0 of 5 practices
get back at
hurt someone because they hurt you
She got back at him for the prank.
She took revenge on him for the prank.
0 of 5 practices
get back to
reply to
I’ll get back to you after I check the dates.
I’ll reply to you after I check the dates.
0 of 5 practices
get by
manage
I get by on this salary.
I manage on this salary.
0 of 5 practices
get someone down
make unhappy
Rainy days always get me down.
Rainy days always make me unhappy.
Make someone unhappy: get someone down. The person goes before down: this weather gets me down.
0 of 5 practices
get down to
start seriously
Let’s get down to work. The deadline is Friday.
Let’s start work seriously. The deadline is Friday.
0 of 5 practices
get in
enter
She got in through the back door.
She entered through the back door.
Enter: she got in, with no direct object here. A vehicle can follow in: get in the car, get in it.
0 of 5 practices
get into
become interested in
I’ve recently got into running after work.
I’ve recently become interested in running after work.
0 of 5 practices
get off
leave public transport
We need to get off at the next stop.
We need to leave the bus at the next stop.
Leave a vehicle: get off the bus or get off it. You can omit the vehicle when it is understood: get off at the next stop.
0 of 5 practices
get off to a good start
begin well
The team got off to a good start in the first week.
The team began well in the first week.
0 of 5 practices
get on
enter a bus, train or plane
He got on the train just before it left.
He boarded the train just before it left.
0 of 5 practices
get on with
continue
I need to get on with this report tonight.
I need to continue this report tonight.
0 of 5 practices
get along with
have a good relationship with
They get along with each other at work.
They have a good relationship with each other at work.
0 of 5 practices
get out of
exit
He told me to get out of the car.
He told me to exit the car.
0 of 5 practices
get out of
leave
She got out of teaching last year.
She left teaching last year.
0 of 5 practices
get over
become well again after an illness
It took her two weeks to get over the flu.
It took her two weeks to recover from the flu.
Inseparable here: get over a cold, get over it. Never get it over.
0 of 5 practices
get through
finish
I finally got through the reading last night.
I finally finished the reading last night.
0 of 5 practices
get through to
reach by phone
She tried to get through to him yesterday, but his phone line was busy.
She tried to reach him by phone yesterday, but his phone line was busy.
0 of 5 practices
get to
arrive at
We got to the station just before it closed.
We arrived at the station just before it closed.
0 of 5 practices
get to
upset someone
His comments really get to me.
His comments really upset me.
0 of 5 practices
28 meanings of 24 get phrasal verbs at a glance
Separable means the object can sit in the middle, and a pronoun has to. Inseparable means it never can. No object means the verb does not take one. Full explanation here.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| get across | communicate | Separable |
| get about | travel around | No object |
| get around | spread | No object |
| get around | avoid a rule or problem | Inseparable |
| get at | suggest without saying directly | Inseparable |
| get at | reach | Inseparable |
| get away from | take a break from | Inseparable |
| get away with | escape punishment for | Inseparable |
| get back from | return | Inseparable |
| get back at | hurt someone because they hurt you | Inseparable |
| get back to | reply to | Inseparable |
| get by | manage | No object |
| get someone down | make unhappy | Fixed pattern |
| get down to | start seriously | Inseparable |
| get in | enter | Pattern varies |
| get into | become interested in | Inseparable |
| get off | leave public transport | Pattern varies |
| get off to a good start | begin well | No object |
| get on | enter a bus, train or plane | Inseparable |
| get on with | continue | Inseparable |
| get along with | have a good relationship with | Inseparable |
| get out of | exit | Inseparable |
| get out of | leave | Inseparable |
| get over | become well again after an illness | Inseparable |
| get through | finish | Inseparable |
| get through to | reach by phone | Inseparable |
| get to | arrive at | Inseparable |
| get to | upset someone | Inseparable |
About this set
Do not try to learn every item in one sitting. Start with get on, get over, and get through. They appear in daily speech more than the rest.
A few pairs look similar (get on / get along, get out of / get away with). The notes below mark the ones learners mix up.
Usage notes
- get over. Inseparable. Get over an illness or a breakup means recover. It is not the same as get through a hard day.
- get through. Can mean finish something difficult or reach someone by phone. Get through to adds the “reach a person” meaning.
- get on with. Get on with a person = have a good relationship. Get on with a task = continue it. The object decides.
- get away with. Means avoid punishment. Get away from in this pack means take a break from a place. The last word is the whole difference.
Mistakes to avoid
Incorrect: It took him a month to get it over.
Correct: It took him a month to get over it.
Get over is inseparable, so the object stays after the particle.
Incorrect: I will get back you tomorrow.
Correct: I will get back to you tomorrow.
Get back to needs the to before the person you are replying to.
Incorrect: She gets on very well her colleagues.
Correct: She gets on very well with her colleagues.
Get on with needs the with before the person.
Incorrect: Let us get down the work.
Correct: Let us get down to work.
Get down to is a three-word verb and the to cannot be dropped.
Common questions
Are get on and get along the same?
For relationships, yes in most everyday speech: we get on / we get along. Get along with is more common in American English; get on with is more common in British English.
What is the difference between get over and get through?
Get over is recover from something that happened (an illness, a shock). Get through is survive or finish something that is still happening (a long day, an exam).
Does get out of always mean leave a place?
No. This pack includes exiting a car and leaving teaching as a profession. Get out of doing a task means avoid it; that sense is practised in the Gym pack.