As you may already know, “get” is a power word with many different meanings and uses. In this article, we will explore the various ways in which “get” can be used, including its common collocations and idioms. Throughout this article, we will provide examples of everyday English usage to help you better understand and remember the different meanings of “get”.
Understanding the Word “Get”
In this lesson, we will explore the various meanings of the word “get.” It is a power word in English and has numerous uses. We will discuss some common collocations and idioms that use “get” as well.
- The first way of use ‘get’ is to gain possession of or to buy something. For example, “I got these fake plants, some wood for the background, and other bits and bobs from Amazon.” Other expressions with “get” in this context include “What did you get for your birthday?” and “I’m thinking about getting a new car soon.“
- The second way to use “get” is when we want to talk about becoming ill or being ill. A common phrase here is “to get sick.” For instance, “I haven’t been sick for a long time” or “I’ve got a cold.”
- The third way we can use “get” is to obtain something or to bring something to someone. For example, “Could you get me a tea?” or “If you have time, get me some bananas on your way home.”
- We can also use “get” to mean understand. For instance, “I didn’t quite get that. Could you explain that again?” or “I didn’t get what you mean.”
- Another way to use “get” is to describe a change, such as “It’s getting dark” or “Your tea’s getting cold.” We can also use “get” for movement, such as “Get your hands out of your pockets” or “Quick, get in the car.”
- When it comes to traveling, we can use “get” to mean arriving somewhere. For example, “What time is David going to get here?” We can also use “get” to mean achieving or being given something, such as “I got my acceptance letter yesterday” or “I got my haircut yesterday.”
Common Collocations With GET
In this section, we will discuss some of the most common collocations with the verb “get”. These collocations are used frequently in spoken and written English, and mastering them will help you sound more like a native speaker.
GET + Adjective
- Get angry
- Get tired
- Get nervous
- Get sick
- Get excited
Using “get” with an adjective is a great way to describe how you are feeling. For example, you might say “I’m getting tired” if you have been working for a long time and need a break.
GET + Preposition
- Get up
- Get over
- Get through
- Get by
- Get away
Using “get” with a preposition is a great way to describe an action. For example, you might say “I need to get up early tomorrow” if you have an early morning appointment.
GET + Verb
- Get a job
- Get a haircut
- Get a drink
- Get a ticket
- Get a grip
Using “get” with another verb is a great way to describe an action that you need to take. For example, you might say “I need to get a haircut” if your hair is getting too long.
List of Collocations with GET
| Collocation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Get a call | I just got a call from my boss about the meeting. |
| Get a joke | Did you get the joke I told earlier? |
| Get a ticket | I got a ticket for parking in the wrong spot. |
| Get a letter | I got a letter from the bank about my account. |
| Get a cold | I think I’m getting a cold, my throat hurts. |
| Get a shock | She got a shock when she saw the price of the dress. |
| Get a dark | It’s starting to get dark outside, we should leave. |
| Get a clue | I can’t seem to get a clue about what’s happening. |
| Get a tan | I want to get a tan before going on vacation. |
| Get a job | I hope to get a job at the new company. |
| Get out of breath | I always get out of breath when I climb stairs. |
| Get drunk | He got drunk at the party and embarrassed himself. |
| Get started | Let’s get started on the project right away. |
| Get fired | He got fired from his job for being late. |
| Get cool | She always manages to get cool under pressure. |
| Get pregnant | She’s trying to get pregnant and start a family. |
| Get hungry | I always get hungry after working out. |
| Get one’s hair cut | I need to get my hair cut before the wedding. |
| Get together | Let’s get together for lunch next week. |
| Get a right | I finally got a right answer on the quiz. |
| Get dressed | I need to get dressed for the party. |
| Get upset | He always gets upset when things don’t go his way. |
| Get divorced | They decided to get divorced after years of marriage. |
| Get changed | I need to get changed before we leave. |
| Get ready for | Let’s get ready for the big game tonight. |
| Get the impression | I got the impression that he didn’t like the movie. |
| Get into trouble | He always manages to get into trouble at school. |
| Get wet | We got wet in the rainstorm on our walk. |
| Get good | He’s been practicing every day and is getting good. |
| Get worried | I always get worried when I hear thunderstorms. |
| Get a chance | I hope to get a chance to travel the world someday. |
| Get lost | I always get lost when I drive in the city. |
| Get permission | Did you get permission to leave work early? |
| Get stuck | He got stuck in traffic and was late to the meeting. |
| Get a degree | She worked hard to get a degree in engineering. |
| Get to sleep | I have trouble getting to sleep at night. |
| Get home | I can’t wait to get home and relax after work. |
| Get married | They’re planning to get married next year. |
| Get nowhere | We’ve been trying to solve this problem for hours, but we’re getting nowhere. |
Using GET in Everyday Conversations
Using ‘Get’ to Indicate Possession
One of the most common ways to use ‘get’ is to indicate possession. This means to gain ownership of something or to buy it. For example, “I got these fake plants from Amazon.” Here are some more common expressions with ‘get’ to indicate possession:
- What did you get for your birthday?
- I’m thinking about getting a new car soon.
- I haven’t got my wife anything for Christmas yet.
Another way to use ‘get’ is to talk about becoming ill or being ill. A common phrase here is ‘to get sick’. For example, “I’ve got a cold.” Here are some more examples:
- She keeps getting sick.
- I’ve got a bit of a headache today.
We also use ‘get’ to obtain something or to bring something to someone. For example, “Could you get me a tea?” Another way to say this is “Can you make me a tea?” Here are some more examples:
- If you have time, get me some bananas on your way home.
- Get some breakfast and then we’ll go.
Practice and Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate collocation of “get”.
- I need to ____________ dressed before we leave.
- He always ____________ good grades in school.
- Can you ____________ me a glass of water, please?
- I have to ____________ up early for work tomorrow.
- She ____________ her hair cut every six weeks.
Exercise 2: Multiple choice questions about collocations with “get”.
1. Which of the following is a correct collocation with “get”?
a) make a get b) do a get c) have a get d) none of the above
2. Which of the following is a correct collocation with “get”?
a) get a cold b) get a hot c) get a warm d) none of the above
3. Which of the following is a correct collocation with “get”?
a) get a bed b) get a room c) get a chair d) none of the above
4. Which of the following is a correct collocation with “get”?
a) get a shower b) get a bath c) get a swim d) all of the above
5. Which of the following is a correct collocation with “get”?
a) get a car b) get a bike c) get a plane d) none of the above
Answers
Exercise 1:
- get
- gets
- get
- get
- gets
Exercise 2:
- d) none of the above
- a) get a cold
- b) get a room
- d) all of the above
- b) get a bike
Frequently asked questions
What are collocations with “get”?
Collocations with “get” are common phrases that include the word “get” and another word that typically follows it. These phrases are often used in English to express a particular idea or action.
What are some common collocations with “get”?
Some common collocations with “get” include “get a job,” “get dressed,” “get upset,” “get married,” “get lost,” “get permission,” and “get to sleep.”
Are there any collocations with “get” that have multiple meanings?
Yes, some collocations with “get” can have multiple meanings depending on the context in which they are used. For example, “get a ticket” can mean to receive a citation for a traffic violation or to obtain a ticket for a concert or event.
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