More uses of get .

"You get on a bus... "

Get with prepositions

We often use “get” as a verb of movement. Other verbs of movement are go, come, run, walk, fly, jump… Verbs of movement are commonly followed by prepositions to indicate the direction of the movement: get up, get down, get into, get out of, get through, get on, get off…

We use get on/off with most means of transport (but not with cars) with the meaning of “board”, “enter” (get on) and “disembark”, “exit” (get off).

Get on the boat! [board]  It’s about to leave.

(In the bus) I’m getting off [exiting] at the next stop.

He got on [mounted] his bike and rode away.

The cowboy got off [dismounted] the horse and hid behind a rock.

With cars, taxis, etc., we use get into/out of.

Get into [enter] the car and let’s go!

We got out of [exited] the taxi in Trafalgar Square..

Here are other examples of get as a verb of movement. Can you guess their meaning now?

He got down on his knees and prayed.

I’m trying to phone my brother but I can’t get through.

The thieves got into the house through an open window.

They used a boat to get across the river.

Sometimes, we use get + preposition to form a new specific meaning which is not exactly the combination of the meaning of the verb and the meaning of the preposition. We call these “phrasal verbs”. Study the table:

Prepositional verb	Phrasal verb
He got up from the chair and walked to the window. GET UP means STAND UP (He was sitting on a chair. Then, he stood up and walked to the window).	He never gets up before 10 o’clock. What time do you normally get up? GET UP means GET OUT OF BED TO START A NEW DAY.

Here are some phrasal verbs with get:

GET AT SOMEONE = scorn, criticize. He’s always getting at me when I give my opinion.

GET ROUND/AROUND TO DOING SOMETHING = to manage to do something. I can’t get round to tidying my room. I’m always too busy.

GET AWAY = escape. The thieves got away from the police.

GET ON (WITH SOMEONE) = have a pleasant relationship with someone. I always like to get on with my bosses. It makes work easier.

GET OVER SOMETHING = recover from (an illness or unpleasant experience). He can’t get over his mother’s dead. It was a great shock for him.

Practice 

Complete the sentences. Use get off / get into / get on  /get through

a) John ______________ very well with his family. He never argues with them.

b) The line is constantly engaged. I can never ______________ to make my complaint.

c) We must ________________ the bus at Piccadilly Circus.

d) When we arrived to the station, the doors of the train were still closed. We had to wait half an hour to __________________ the train.

e) He lost his keys and he had to ___________________ his house through an open window on the second floor.

Answers: (a) gets on; (b) get through; (c) get off; (d) get on; (e) get into