Collocations with GET

This post will look at collocations, word patterns and phrasal verbs with get.

GET CAN BE A CONFUSING VERB. YOU NEED TO REALISE THAT IT IS USED IN DIFFERENT WAYS. IT CAN BE A SYNONYM FOR RECEIVE, TAKE, OBTAIN, EXPERIENCE, SUFFER, DEVELOP, COLLECT.

ALSO WHEN IT IS USED AS GET + ADJECTIVE, IT MEANS TO BECOME SOMETHING.

THERE ARE ALSO MANY PHRASAL VERBS.

TRY OUR FREE PDF EXERCISES (HERE)

Get can mean:

Study the different meanings and use get in context.

RECEIVE: I got a present yesterday. I usually get 5 emails per day. I am going to get a letter from the bank soon

TAKE: I get the bus every day. I need to get a taxi or I’ll be late. Could you get my bag for me?

OBTAIN: I got a 10 on my English test. I never get presents from my parents. He got the job because he was the best candidate.

EXPERIENCE: (something bad) I got a pain in my left arm; it could have been a heart attack so I went to the hospital I got a muscle ache from doing exercise.

 SUFFER: I got ill last week I hate getting into problems at work.

DEVELOP: I think I am getting too tired because of stress I won’t ever get diabetes because nobody in my family has it.

COLLECT: Can you get the kids from school? I’m going to get something to eat from the canteen.

REACH/ARRIVE AT: I never get home until after 10pm. When will we get to the next train station, I’m bored of travelling?

GET + ADJECTIVE = become something I am getting ill = Me estoy poniendo malo. I am getting bored = Estoy aburriendome. I got tired last night = Anoche me cansé.

TRY OUR VOCABULARY LEARNING METHOD (HERE) WITH THESE COLLOCATIONS

 

PHRASAL VERBS

Get over – (recover from) I am getting over the shock of last week.

Get on with – (have a good relationship) I get on with my business partner.

Get out – (avoid doing something) I must get out of the meeting on Friday evening.

Get away with – (not be punished) At school he got away with not doing the assignment.

Get away – (escape) The thieves got away without a problem as the policeman was slow.

Get into – (start liking) I got into languages about 8 years ago.

Get back – (return) We hot back to the house at about 8pm.

Get by – (survive with the minimum) I can get by in German and Japanese.

Get together – (gather) Let’s get together to have a beer next week.

Get through – (pass) Aston Villa got through to the second round of the cup.

Get up – (remove from the bed) We usually get up at around 7 am.

Get to – (annoy) My workmates is getting to me with his negative attitude.

Get at – (suggest) What I am getting at is that we need to save more money for our holiday.

Get ahead – (obtain an advantage) To get ahead at work nowadays, you need a degree.

Get rid of – (sell/throw out) We need to get rid of some furniture, the house is too full.

Get on – (mount) You should get on the number 4 bus and get off near the city centre.

Get off – (remove oneself) Let’s get off the bus a stop early to take a walk.

Get around – (move from place to place) I tend to get around my city by bus.

Get along with – (have a good relationship) My step mother and I get along (with each other)

 

Get can also be part of the causative passive

GET AS PART OF THE CAUSATIVE = PAY OR ASK SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING

I got my hair cut yesterday (at the hairdressers).

You got your car fixed at the garage (by the mechanic).

She will get her exam recorrected by another tutor as she isn’t happy with the way it has been graded.

DOWNLOAD THIS POST IN PDF (GET)

The key to using GET is to practice at home using the 4 core skills for language use: speaking, reading, writing and listening. 

FOR A FULL COURSE TO GET THE B1, B2 OR C1, FOLLOW THIS LINK (HERE)

 

SEE SIMILAR POSTS TO THIS:

VOCABULARY BOOST: THE USE OF MEAN

VOCABULARY BOOST: MAKE VERSUS DO

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SIMILAR WORDS: FOR, (SINCE) AND DURING

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SIMILAR WORDS: AS VERSUS LIKE