Get

Get is an important word in English because it is very popular. Get often replaces other, more formal verbs. This lesson shows you all the different ways you can use get.

 

Here are the verbs that get can replace:

Obtain

• I went to the store to get some milk.

Receive

• I got a bicycle for Christmas.
  I got a B+ on my exam.

Arrive

• I get to work everyday at 7 am.

Understand

• I don’t get the math homework.
• I don’t get it.

Become

• My friend spilled his drink on my pants and I got angry.
• It’s late and I am getting tired.
• It’s getting late. We should go home.

Buy/Order

• I went out for dinner last night and I got a steak and my
  friend got pasta.

Deal With

• Can you get the phone please?
• I will get the door.
• I’ll get it.

Prepare

• It takes me 1 hour everyday to get ready. (the process of becoming ready)

Force/ Persuade

• How can I get my son to read more?
• The government wants to get the people to pay their taxes on time.

Possession (Have)

• Do you got any money? (Very informal)  

 
Get + Preposition

“Get” is used with many prepositions to make phrasal verbs. Here is a list:

Get Up
Wake up

• What time do you get up in the morning?

Stand up

• The students got up out of their seats.

Get Down

• To go down from somewhere high.
• I got down from the tree.

Get On
Buses, Trains, Planes, Bicycles, Motorcycles

• He got on the train 5 minutes before it left the station.

Get Off
Buses, Trains, Planes, Bicycles, Motorcycles

• He got off his bicycle and started to walk.

Get Out
Imperative to tell someone to leave.

• Get out of my bedroom right now!

Get Back
Return

• When will you get back from school?

Move back/Watch out

• Get back! There is a car coming.

Get Over
To no longer have emotional difficulty with something or someone.

• It took 2 months for him to get over his ex-girlfriend.

Get Through
To accomplish and complete a difficult task.

• Training for the marathon was very difficult, but I got through it.

Get Away With
To not be caught for doing something wrong.

• I stole a chocolate bar from the store and got away with it.

Here is a list of other phrases that are common with “get.”

• Get married
• Get divorced
• Get a job
• Get a drink
• Get stuck
• Get in trouble
• Get cleaned up
• Get ready
• Get dressed