Page 49 - English Vocabulary in Use Pre Intermediate

Get: uses and expressions

Meanings

Get is an informal word, so it is more common in spoken English than written English. It
has many meanings. Here are some of the basic ones.
receive ’ I got a letter this morning.
You get a certificate at the end of the course.
obtain She’s trying to get a new job.
(sometimes = buy) Where did you get those shoes?
become It gets dark very early at this time of year.
(=a change in state) My hands are getting cold.
arrive When did you get here?
I’ll phone when I get home.
fetch — x Could you get the books from the cupboard?
She went to get the children from school.

‘Get’ + past participle
We sometimes use the more informal ‘get’ + past p participle:
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get married (= marry) She got married in France.
get divorced (= divorce) They got divorced last year. (= the marriage has ended
officially)
get dressed (= dress) I got dressed quickly and went out.
get undressed (= undress) He got undressed and got into bed.
get changed (= change clothes) | When I got home I went to my room and got changed.
gettost (= lose one’s way) I got lost on my way to the station.

Common collocations
Get is so common with certain words (often describing a change of state) that it is a good
idea to learn them as expressions.
It’s getting hot/cold _[Pm getting hot/cold
dark/light tired
late better/worse
better/worse hungry
busy ready (= preparing)
Note: The expression getting better at something can describe an improvement in your
ability to do something, e.g. I’m getting better at English/swimming; it also describes an
improvement in your health, e.g. She was very ill but she’s getting better now. (# getting
worse)

Phrasal verbs and special expressions with ‘get’
I get on very well with my sister. (= I have a very good relationship with my sister)
How are you getting on? _—(a) (= a general question: how is life?)
(b) (= what progress are you making, e.g. with your English?)
It’s difficult to get to know people in a foreign country. (= meet people and make friends)
I want to get rid of all my old records. (= sell them or throw them away or give them away)
My alarm wakes me up at 7 a.m., but I don’t usually get up (= get out of bed) until 7.15.
English Vocabulary in Use (pre-intermediate & intermediate)
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