50 English Phrasal Verbs With “Get”
Phrasal verbs with “get” are common in English and can be tricky for learners due to their varied meanings. Below is a comprehensive list of 50 phrasal verbs with “get,” including their meanings, examples, and exercises.
1. Get across
Meaning: To communicate an idea or message clearly.
Example: “The teacher struggled to get across the concept to the students.”
2. Get along
Meaning: To have a good relationship with someone.
Example: “She gets along well with her coworkers.”
3. Get around
Meaning: To move from place to place; also means to avoid something.
Example: “He uses a bicycle to get around the city.”
4. Get away
Meaning: To escape or take a break.
Example: “They got away for the weekend to relax.”
5. Get back
Meaning: To return; also means to retaliate.
Example: “I will get back home by 8 PM.”
6. Get by
Meaning: To manage with limited resources.
Example: “She barely gets by on her salary.”
7. Get down
Meaning: To feel sad; also means to physically lower oneself.
Example: “The news really got him down.”
8. Get in
Meaning: To enter a place or vehicle.
Example: “Hurry up and get in the car!”
9. Get into
Meaning: To become interested in something; also means to enter.
Example: “He recently got into photography.”
10. Get off
Meaning: To leave a vehicle or stop work.
Example: “She got off the bus at the next stop.”
Exercises:
Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb:
- 1. Can you ____ your point ____ more clearly?
- 2. They ____ ____ well despite their differences.
- 3. He ____ ____ cheating on the test.
11. Get on
Meaning: To board a vehicle; also means to continue.
Example: “They got on the train just in time.”
12. Get out
Meaning: To leave or escape.
Example: “Get out of here before they see you!”
13. Get over
Meaning: To recover from something.
Example: “It took her months to get over the breakup.”
14. Get through
Meaning: To finish something difficult; also means to communicate successfully.
Example: “I finally got through the exam.”
15. Get together
Meaning: To meet or gather.
Example: “Let’s get together for coffee next week.”
16. Get up
Meaning: To rise from bed or stand.
Example: “I usually get up at 6 AM.”
17. Get ahead
Meaning: To make progress, especially in a career.
Example: “Hard work helps you get ahead in life.”
18. Get at
Meaning: To imply or suggest something.
Example: “What are you trying to get at?”
19. Get away with
Meaning: To escape punishment.
Example: “He got away with cheating on the test.”
20. Get back at
Meaning: To take revenge.
Example: “She wanted to get back at him for lying.”
Exercises:
Match the phrasal verbs with their meanings:
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Get over | Recover from something |
| Get through | Finish something difficult |
| Get together | Meet or gather |
21. Get behind
Meaning: To support or fall behind schedule.
Example: “We need to get behind this project.”
22. Get by on
Meaning: To survive with minimal resources.
Example: “They get by on very little money.”
23. Get down to
Meaning: To start doing something seriously.
Example: “Let’s get down to business.”
24. Get in on
Meaning: To become involved in something.
Example: “She wanted to get in on the new project.”
25. Get off on
Meaning: To enjoy something (often something unusual).
Example: “He gets off on extreme sports.”
26. Get on with
Meaning: To continue doing something.
Example: “Just get on with your work.”
27. Get out of
Meaning: To avoid doing something.
Example: “He tried to get out of the meeting.”
28. Get round to
Meaning: To finally do something after delay.
Example: “I’ll get round to cleaning the house soon.”
29. Get up to
Meaning: To do something (often mischievous).
Example: “What did you get up to last night?”
30. Get with
Meaning: To understand or keep up with something.
Example: “You need to get with the program.”
Exercises:
Complete the sentences with the correct phrasal verb:
- 1. She finally ____ ____ ____ cleaning her room.
- 2. He always tries to ____ ____ ____ doing chores.
- 3. We should ____ ____ ____ the details of the plan.
31. Get after
Meaning: To scold or urge someone to do something.
Example: “His mom got after him for not studying.”
32. Get ahead of
Meaning: To surpass someone or something.
Example: “She got ahead of her competitors.”
33. Get around to
Meaning: To finally do something after delay.
Example: “I’ll get around to replying to emails later.”
34. Get at
Meaning: To reach or access something.
Example: “I can’t get at the files on the top shelf.”
35. Get back to
Meaning: To return to a task or conversation.
Example: “I’ll get back to you with an answer soon.”
36. Get by with
Meaning: To manage with help from something.
Example: “She gets by with a little help from her friends.”
37. Get down on
Meaning: To criticize someone.
Example: “Don’t get down on yourself for making a mistake.”
38. Get in with
Meaning: To become friendly with a group.
Example: “He got in with the wrong crowd.”
39. Get off to
Meaning: To start something in a particular way.
Example: “The project got off to a great start.”
40. Get on to
Meaning: To contact someone; also means to understand something.
Example: “I’ll get on to the supplier about the delay.”
Exercises:
Rewrite the sentences using the correct phrasal verb:
- 1. She finally started working seriously on her assignment. (get down to)
- 2. He managed to avoid doing the dishes. (get out of)
- 3. They became friends with the new neighbors. (get in with)
41. Get over with
Meaning: To finish something unpleasant quickly.
Example: “Let’s get this over with as soon as possible.”
42. Get through to
Meaning: To make someone understand.
Example: “I can’t seem to get through to him.”
43. Get to
Meaning: To annoy someone; also means to arrive.
Example: “His constant complaining really gets to me.”
44. Get up for
Meaning: To prepare mentally for something.
Example: “She needs to get up for the big game.”
45. Get with it
Meaning: To understand or adapt to something.
Example: “Come on, get with it—everyone knows this!”
46. Get across to
Meaning: To successfully communicate something.
Example: “How can I get this across to them?”
47. Get along without
Meaning: To manage without something.
Example: “Can you get along without your phone for a day?”
48. Get back into
Meaning: To return to a habit or activity.
Example: “He wants to get back into painting.”
49. Get off with
Meaning: To escape punishment; also means to start a romantic relationship.
Example: “He got off with just a warning.”
50. Get on for
Meaning: To approach a certain time or age.
Example: “It’s getting on for midnight—we should leave.”
Final Exercise:
Write a short paragraph using at least five phrasal verbs from the list above.