TO GET

Try completing these forms of GET:

GET: Meaning: Example:

Get in touch with s/o = =
Get drunk = =
Get burnt out = =
Get better /well = =
Get held up = delayed =
Get in = return home =
Get to = reach =
Get changed = change ones clothes =
(Try to) get you on your mobile = reach s/o =
To get s/th = receive s/th =

GET on/into/off/out:
Get on my nerves = =
Get into (a situation/problems) = =
Get the day off... = =
Get out of here... = leave =
Get up... = =
Get on with (something)... = =
Get old = =
...getting me down. = depressing me =
...getting along well with someone = =

I get a 10! / I got 10 out of 10! = (school note) =

GETTING + noun:
Getting sick (esta poniendo enfermo / se esta enfermando) =
Getting angry (esta poniendo enfado) =

EXPRESSIONS WITH GET:

I got it! = I understood! =

Get lost! = Get knotted! =
Get to it! = Start =
Get on my nerves = Annoying s/o =
Get up the courage = =
I am getting by! = Im surviving! =
Get even = seek revenge =
Get thrown upside down = =

GET WITH PASSIVE VERBS:

To get married = =
To be married = =
To get divorced = =
To be divorced = =
To get worried = =
To be worried = =

PASSIVE (comparison with have s/th done):

Get s/th done = =
 Uses of Get
Learning all the variations of uses of 'get' can be a somewhat trying but very useful and rewarding
experience. Used as a verb by itself, 'get' has many meanings. The trickiest area of usage is how 'get'
combines with prepositions to form phrasal verbs. Here is a list of the main usages of 'get' as a main verb,
'get' in an idiomatic usage, and combinations of 'get' in phrasal verbs. With a bit of luck youll get it (i.e.
understand)!
GET on its own
Meaning Example
To receive I got a book for my birthday.
To earn I get 7 an hour.
To bring or fetch Can you get that book for me?
To understand Do you get the meaning?
To be affected by, or catch He got a cold last week.
To catch or take I got the 6:55am train to London.
To communicate with I got him by phone.
To have a strong effect on That film really got me.
To capture or seize The police got him at the station.

GET used in phrasal verbs

This is not an exhaustive list of these phrasal verbs and their meanings. Beside it is the principle meaning of
these extremely important verbs.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
To get about (or around) To be socially active Tom really gets around, doesn't he?
To get ahead To be successful It's very difficult to get ahead nowadays.
To get away To escape The thief got away from the police.
To get back To recover or retrieve I got my books back from Marty.
To get by To survive financially Sally gets by on just 1,000 a month.
To get in To enter a car, train etc. Come on, get in! Let's go.
To get into To be accepted He got into the university of his choice.
To get off To exit from a train, bus etc. Jerry got off at the wrong stop.
To get on with To have a good relationship with I really get on well with you.
To get out To leave I got out of class at 3:30pm.
To recover from an illness or bad
To get over He got over his operation very quickly.
occurrence
To succeed in an examination, That was a difficult test to get through,
To get through
test etc. wasn't it?
To get up To get out of bed I got up at 7 this morning.

GET - colloquial use

Verb Meaning Example

Tom arrived at midday and immediately got
To get down to business To begin working
down to business.
To get together To meet Let's get together tonight.
Come on! Get it together! You are all
To get it together To improve one's performance
playing a terrible game.
Gotta To have to (US only) I gotta go it's late
Have got to To have to (US only) I've got to hurry up!
 Senses of GET in English
The verb 'to get' is used in many senses in English and can be confusing at times. Here is a list of the top ten uses of
'to get' with simple explanations and example sentences. Of course, these are not all the senses of 'to get'. In fact,
there are many phrasal verbs with 'to get'. This list is meant to give intermediate level learners the main senses of
this important verb.
Sense 1
get = acquire
-- (come into the possession of something; "She got a lot of paintings from her uncle"; "They got a new pet"; "Get
your results the next day")
Sense 2
get = become
-- (to change into a state; "He got annoyed when he heard the bad news"; "It must be getting more serious"; Get
going!")

Sense 3
get = receive
-- (receive something; "I got some clothes for Christmas."; "His movie got a good review"; "I got some books from my
girlfriend.")

Sense 4
get = arrive
-- (reach a destination; "She got home at 7 o'clock"; "She didn't get to Chicago until after midnight")

Sense 5
get = bring, fetch
-- (go and bring or take back; "Get me those books over there, please"; "Could you get the wine?")

Sense 6
get= experience, undergo
-- (of mental or physical states or experiences; "He got an idea"; "She gets vertigo when she looks out the window.";
"They get nauseous when they drive.")

Sense 7
get = make, score
-- (achieve a point or goal; "Nicklaus got a 70"; "The Brazilian team got 4 goals"; "She got 29 points that day")

Sense 8
get = contract, take
-- (be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness; "He got AIDS"; "She got pneumonia"; "She got a cold from Tom.")

Sense 9
get = induce, stimulate, cause, make someone do
-- (cause to do; cause to act in a certain way; "My children finally got me to buy a computer"; "My wife got me to pay
attention to the speaker.")

Sense 10
get = pay back
-- (take vengeance on or get even; "We'll get them!"; "That'll get him good!"; "This time I got him")
Try completing these exercises with GET:

Review:

Exam type questions:

 ANSWERS

GET possible answers:

Get in touch with s/o = I need to get in touch with Tom.
Get drunk = I really got drunk last night at the party.
Get burnt out = I am getting really burnt out in my work.
Get better /well = I am getting better.
Get held up = delayed/ I know Im late! I got held up.
Get in = return home/ Yesterday I got in late.
Get to = reach / please, can you get to those cans.
Get changed = change ones clothes/ hes getting changed in the gym.
(Try to) get you on your mobile = reach s/o / I tried to get you on the phone last night.
To get s/th = receive s/th / I got the new film at the video shop.

GET on/into/off/out possible answers:

Get on my nerves
Get into (a situation/problems)
Get the day off
Get out of here...
Get up...
...getting me down.
I get a 10! / I got 10 out of 10!
Get on with (something)...
Get old
...getting me down.
...getting along well with someone
= Stop biting your nails! Youre getting on my nerves.
= Mike got me into trouble at work for leaving early.
= I got an extra day off next week!
= Please get out of here! Im stuck.
= Come on! Get up! Youll be late for class.
= My friend keeps getting me down about my spots.
= I got an A in my FCE result.
=
=
= The film was depressing me.
= They get along well.

GETTING + noun possible answers:

Getting sick = I am getting sick of eating the same food all the time. (Metaphorical use)
Getting angry = Im getting angry every time you mention her name.

EXPRESSIONS with GET possible answers:

I got it! = I understood! = I received it!
Get lost! = Get knotted! = Get stuffed! / Go away!
Get to it! = Start! = Do it!
Get on my nerves = Annoy someone = He getting to me!
Get up the courage = Get the nerve to do something = Hell get the guts to do it!
I am getting by! = Im surviving! = Im managing! / Im coping!

GET with PASSIVE VERBS possible answers:

To get married = Im getting married next year.
To be married = Ive been married for four years now.
To get divorced = Im getting divorce today.
To be divorced = Ive been divorced since 2009.
To get worried = Im getting worried about your lateness in work.
To be worried = Im worried about my job.
Get even = She wanted to seek revenge for what they did.
Get thrown upside down =

PASSIVE possible answers:

(comparison with have s/th done)
Get s/th done = I got my house done up last year.
 ANSWERS
Review ANSWERS:

1. Get better -----become

2. Get the bus -----catch
3. Get to the station -----arrive
4. Get a headache -----come down with
5. Get somebody to do something -----ask
6. Get something for Christmas -----receive
7. Get a newspaper -----buy
8. Get out of the house -----leave
Exam type questions ANSWERS:
GET (gt)
v. got (gt), gotten (gtn) or got, getting, gets

v.tr.

1.
a. To come into possession or use of; receive: got a cat for her birthday.
b. To meet with or incur: got nothing but trouble for her efforts.

2.
a. To go after and obtain: got a book at the library; got breakfast in town.
b. To go after and bring: Get me a pillow.
c. To purchase; buy: get groceries.

3.
a. To acquire as a result of action or effort: He got his information from the Internet. You can't get water out of a stone.
b. To earn: got high marks in math.
c. To accomplish or attain as a result of military action.

4. To obtain by concession or request: couldn't get the time off; got permission to go.

5.
a. To arrive at; reach: When did you get home?
b. To reach and board; catch: She got her plane two minutes before takeoff.

6. To succeed in communicating with, as by telephone: can't get me at the office until nine.

7. To become affected with (an illness, for example) by infection or exposure; catch: get the flu; got the mumps.

8.
a. To be subjected to; undergo: got a severe concussion.
b. To receive as retribution or punishment: got six years in prison for tax fraud.
c. To sustain a stated injury to: got my arm broken.

9.
a. To gain or have understanding of: Do you get this question?
b. To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.
c. To find or reach by calculating: get a total; can't get the answer.
d. To perceive by hearing: I didn't get your name when we were introduced.

10. To procreate; beget.

11.
a. To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition: got the children tired and cross; got the shirt clean.
b. To make ready; prepare: get lunch for a crowd.
c. To cause to come or go: got the car through traffic.
d. To cause to move or leave: Get me out of here!

12. To cause to undertake or perform; prevail on: got the guide to give us the complete tour.

13.
a. To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
b. Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
c. To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
d. To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
e. To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
f. To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
g. Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.

14. Baseball To put out.

15. To begin or start. Used with the present participle: I have to get working on this or I'll miss my deadline.

16.
a. To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of
cash.
b. Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a
nice house in town.
c. To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early.
You've got to do the dishes.
d. Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a
huntin' dog.

v.intr.

1.
a. To become or grow to be: eventually got well.
b. To be successful in coming or going: When will we get to Dallas?

2. To be able or permitted: never got to see Europe; finally got to work at home.

3.
a. To be successful in becoming: get free of a drug problem.
b. Used with the past participle of transitive verbs as a passive voice auxiliary: got stung by a bee.
c. To become drawn in, entangled, or involved: got into debt; get into a hassle.

4. Informal To depart immediately: yelled at the dog to get.

5. To work for gain or profit; make money: puts all his energy into getting and spending.

n.

1.
a. The act of begetting.
b. Progeny; offspring.

2. Chiefly British Slang A foolish or contemptible person.

3. Sports A return, as in tennis, on a shot that seems impossible to reach.

Phrasal Verbs:

get about

To be out of bed and beginning to walk again, as after an illness.

get across

1. To make understandable or clear: tried to get my point across.

2. To be convincing or understandable: How can I get across to the students?

get after

To urge or scold: You should get after them to mow the lawn.

get along

1. To be or continue to be on harmonious terms: gets along with the in-laws.

2. To manage or fare with reasonable success: can't get along on those wages.
3.
a. To make progress.
b. To advance, especially in years.

4. To go away; leave.

get around

1. To circumvent or evade: managed to get around the real issues.

2. Informal To convince or win over by flattering or cajoling.

3. To travel from place to place: It is hard to get around without a car.

4. To become known; circulate: Word got around.

get at

1. To touch or reach successfully: The cat hid where we couldn't get at it.

2. To try to make understandable; hint at or suggest: I don't know what you're getting at.

3. To discover or understand: tried to get at the cause of the problem.

4. Informal To bribe or influence by improper or illegal means: He got at the judge, and the charges were dismissed.

get away

1. To break free; escape.

2. To leave or go away: wanted to come along, but couldn't get away.

get back

To return to a person, place, or condition: getting back to the subject.

get by

1. To pass or outstrip.

2. To succeed at a level of minimal acceptibility or with the minimal amount of effort: just got by in college.

3. To succeed in managing; survive: We'll get by if we economize.

4. To be unnoticed or ignored by: The mistake got by the editor, but the proofreader caught it.

get down

1. To descend.

2. To give one's attention. Often used with to: Let's get down to work.

3. To exhaust, discourage, or depress: The heat was getting me down.

4. To swallow: got the pill down on the first try.

5. To describe in writing.

6. Informal To lose one's inhibitions; enjoy oneself wholeheartedly.

get in

1.
a. To enter.
b. To arrive: We got in late last night.

2. To become or cause to become involved: She got in with the wrong crowd. Repeated loans from the finance company
got me deeper in debt.

3. To become accepted, as in a club.

4. To succeed in making or doing: got in six deliveries before noon.

get into

1. To become involved in: got into trouble by stealing cars.

2. Informal To be interested in: got into gourmet cooking.

get off

1. To start, as on a trip; leave.

2.
a. To fire (a round of ammunition, for example): got off two shots before the deer disappeared.
b. To write and send, as a letter.

3. To escape, as from punishment or danger: got off scot-free.

4. To obtain a release or lesser penalty for: The attorney got her client off with a slap on the wrist.

5. Slang To act or speak with effrontery. Used in the imperative to express contempt or disdainful disbelief.

6. Slang To have an orgasm.

7. Slang

a. To feel great pleasure or gratification.

b. To experience euphoria, for example, as a result of taking a drug.

8. To get permission to leave one's workplace: got off early and went fishing.

get on

1. To be or continue on harmonious terms: gets on well with the neighbors.

2. To manage or fare with reasonable success.

3.
a. To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
b. To advance in years.

4. To acquire understanding or knowledge: got on to the con game.

get out

1.
a. To leave or escape.
b. To cause to leave or escape.

2. To become known: Somehow the secret got out.

3. To publish, as a newspaper.
get over

1. To prevail against; overcome.

2. To recover from: finally got over the divorce.

3. To get across.

get through

1. To arrive at the end of; finish or complete.

2.
a. To succeed in making contact; reach.
b. To make oneself understood.

get to

1.
a. To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
b. To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.

2. To influence or affect, especially adversely: The noise really gets to me.

get together

1. To bring together; gather.

2. To come together.

3. To arrive at an agreement.

get up

1.
a. To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
b. To climb.

2. To act as the creator or organizer of: got up a petition against rezoning.

3. To dress or adorn: She got herself up in a bizarre outfit.

4. To find within oneself: got up the nerve to quit.

Idioms:

get around to

To find the time or occasion for.

get away with

To escape the consequences of (a blameworthy act, for example): got away with cheating.

get back at

To take revenge on.

get cracking

To begin to work; get started.

get even

To obtain revenge.

get even with

To repay with an equivalent act, as for revenge.

get going

To make a beginning; get started.

get hold/ahold of

1. To bring into one's grasp, possession, or control.

2. To communicate with, especially by telephone.

get it Informal

To be punished or scolded.

get it on Slang

1. To become filled with energy or excitement.

2. To engage in sexual intercourse.

get nowhere

To make no progress.

get (one's) Informal

To receive one's due punishment: After sassing his parents, he really got his.

get on the stick

To begin to work.

get out of

To gain release from the obligation of: She tried to get out of taking her brother to the mall. He couldn't get out of his
date on Saturday.

get (someone's) goat

To make angry or vexed.

get somewhere Informal

To make progress.

get there Informal

To make progress or achieve success.

get wind of

To learn of: got wind of the scheme.

 PHRASAL VERBS with GET
Get a massage across communicate, make people understand
It wasnt easy to get my message across in such a short time.
Get around (of news) be known everywhere
The news of the robbery soon got around.
Get at ... discover (the truth etc)
I wonder if well ever get at the truth of his disappearance?
Get at ... reach, find
That light is too high for me to get at.
Get at ... criticise
Mr Grouch is always getting at me, even when its not my fault.
Get away escape (n. getaway)
The thieves got away in a stolen car.
Get away go away on holiday
We hope to get away for a holiday in the country.
Get away! I dont believe you!
Normas a millionaire, you know. Get away! Youre joking!
Get away with ... escape, not get caught
The thieves managed to get away with most of her jewellery.
Get away with ... receive a relatively light punishment
As it was her first offence, Sandy got away with only a fine.
Get (your breath) back stop feeling out of breath
I had to stop running to get my breath back.
Get back return from a journey
The family got back home in the early evening.
Get back be given back something you have lent
Ive finally got back those books I lent her.
Get back move away
Get back! Youre standing too close!
Get back at ... get revenge on
Ednas got back at the men who ruined her business.
Get behind with ... be late in paying
If you get behind with the rent, you might lose the flat.
Get by just manage financially
Its difficult to get by on my salary.
Get by get past
He stood in the way and we couldnt get by.
Get down climb down from a high place
Louis fell as he was getting down from the tree.
Get ... down annoy, make unhappy
This cold weather is really getting me down.
Get down write, make a note of
The clerk spoke slowly so that I could get down all the details.
Get down to ... start (some work)
Thats enough talking. Lets get down to some work.
Get in enter (a building etc)
The thief got in through the window
Get in arrive home
By the time I got in theyd already had dinner.
Get in (of a train etc) arrive at its destination
The train should get in at seven thirty
Get in do (some practice etc)
We must get in some more practice before the big match.
Get in bring indoors
Its raining. Shall I help you get the washing in?
Get in ask (an electrician etc) to come and repair something
I dont understand this writing. Ill have to get in an electrician.
Get into ... be involved in an unpleasant situation (e.g. trouble, debt)
They were forced to sell their house when they got into debt.
Get into (clothes) put on clothes, often with difficulty
Im larger now and I cant get into my old clothes.
Get off leave (a bus, train etc)
Get off at the stop after the town hall.
Get off not be convicted of a crime
Morris might get off if the judge believes his story.
Get off (to sleep) start sleeping
It took me ages to get off to sleep last night.
Tell ... where to get off criticise someone for their behaviour
The doorman was so rude that I told him where to get off.
Get on have a good relationship
Tracey and I have always got on really well.
Get on become old
Im getting on, you know. Im nearly seventy.
Get on continue an activity
I must get on or Ill never finish this letter.
Get on ... get into (a bus etc)
The bus was full so we couldnt get on.
Get on progress
How are you getting on in your new job?
Get on (like a house on fire) be great friends
Theyve only just met but theyre getting on like a house on fire.
Get on with ... have a good relationship with
Trish is very pleasant and easy to get on with
Get on with ... continue with an activity
Please stop talking and get on with your work!
Get out escape from a building
They boys managed to get out by climbing through a window
Get out leave a car or building
The car stopped and the driver got out.
Get out of ... avoid doing something
I managed to get out of doing the washing up.
Get over communicate, make people understand
It was difficult to get my message over in a simple way
Get over... recover from
You need rest to help you get over your operation.
Get ... over with finish doing something unpleasant
Lets get this horrible test over with and then we can relax.
Get round ... persuade someone to change their mind
Judy got round him somehow to lend her his car.
Get round to ... finally do something after a long delay
Ive finally got round to answering my uncles letter.
Get through to ... contact (e.g. by phone)
All the lines are engaged. I cant get through to head office.
Get to ... annoy
Calm down! Dont let his sarcasm get to you.
Get together assemble (n. get-together)
We get together once a year to talk about old times.
Get up leave your bed and start the day
The alarm rang but I had difficulty getting up
Get up ... get to the top of
It took me ten minutes to get up that hill!
Get up organise
Theyve got up a petition to protest against the tax increases.
Get up to ... do (usually something naughty)
Im sure those children are getting up to some mischief.