The word “get” can be used with nouns. To “get” something means “to receive, buy, or find something”: get + (noun)
Examples:
Mother got a nice vase for her birthday. (–> received a nice vase)
Can you get some eggs at the store on your way home? (–> buy some eggs)
Jack’s hurt his leg. Go and get a doctor right away! (–> find, and bring back a doctor)
Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to get her poor dog a bone. (–> find, and bring back a bone)
Has Uncle Jeb gotten a job yet? (–> found a job)
Note: get it = understand it
The teacher had to explain the homework several times before Tom finally got it.
I saw that movie, but I didn’t get the ending. Did you?
The word “get” can also be used with adjectives: get + (adjective) means “to become”:
Examples:
I got cold, so I turned up the heat.
If you’re getting tired, why don’t you just go to bed?
Have an afternoon snack so you won’t get hungry – dinner won’t be until 6 o’clock.
The couch got wet because someone left the window open in the rain.
Note:
get married: Dick and Jane got married last month.
get dressed: Hurry up and get dressed – we have to leave in five minutes! (put clothes on)
get lost: Hansel and Gretel got lost in the woods when they stumbled upon the witch’s gingerbread house. (lost their way)
The word “get” is also used in the phrase get (to) + (a place), which means “to arrive”:
Examples:
We got to the station just as the train was leaving.
It took us twelve hours to get to Atlanta by car.
Jack got to work late because of car trouble.
Note: the following do NOT use the preposition “to”:
get here: Steve got here about half an hour before Max did.
get there: Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to get her poor dog a bone, but when she got there, the cupboard was bare, and so the poor dog had none.
get home: Dad got home from work after 10 o’clock last night.
Further:
get in(to): It’s raining outside, so get in the house as soon as possible.
Jimmy got in trouble at school today. (“get in trouble” = do something wrong, and face punishment for it)
get out: For the fire drill, the teacher instructed the children to get out of the building quickly and quietly.
get on: You’ll know it’s time to get on the train when the conductor says “All aboard!”
get off: If you want to visit the art museum, you should get off the bus at the next stop.
Exercises. Complete the following sentences, using “get/gets” with a phrase from the list.
Example:
Jack will ____________ if he doesn’t slow down. (a speeding ticket) ==> Jack will get a speeding ticket if he doesn’t slow down.
a birthday card
a candy bar
a good chicken sandwich
a new camera
an “A”
it
the flu
the police
1. Did you ____________ for John?
2. Every winter Aunt Martha gets ____________.
3. I hope I ____________ on the test!
4. You can ____________ at that restaurant.
5. Whenever Father goes to the store, he ____________ for us.
6. Hello, operator – could you ____________ me ____________?
7. I want to ____________ for my birthday.
8. That’s a nice haircut. Where did you get ____________?
Exercises. Complete the following sentences, using “getting” with a word from the list.
Example:
Please close the window. It’s ____________ in here. (cold) ==> Please close the window. It’s getting cold in here.
bored
dark
frustrated
getting
hot
late
married
tired
1. Did you hear the news? Tom and Becky are ____________ next month.
2. I’m ____________. Let’s sit down and take a break.
3. If you’re ____________, you can watch some TV.
4. With all the change in the weather lately, I think I’m ____________.
5. Let me know if you’re ____________, and I’ll turn on the air conditioning.
6. Well, it’s ____________, so we’ll be heading home now.
7. The children were ____________ with the problem, so the teacher gave them a hint.
8. When it starts ____________, close the curtains and turn on the lights.
Exercises. Complete the following sentences, using “get/got” with a word from the list.
Example:
Dad ____________ when he saw the dent on the car door. (mad) ==> Dad got mad when he saw the dent on the car door.
angry
better
dressed
get
hungry
lost
married
nervous
old
well
1. I didn’t like that book at first, but it ____________ after the first few chapters.
2. The teacher will ____________ if you tell her you didn’t do your homework.
3. It’s time to ____________ and go to the party.
4. If you ____________, help yourself to the food in the refrigerator.
5. I always ____________ whenever I had to play a solo in a piano recital.
6. My grandparents ____________ over fifty years ago.
7. Take the laundry off the clothesline before it rains so it doesn’t ____________.
8. Grandmother’s illness caused her to ____________ prematurely.
9. Cathy has a GPS in her car, but she still managed to ____________ on her way to the restaurant.
10. I heard you have the flu. I hope you ____________ soon.
Exercises. Write sentences with “I left…and got to ….”
Example:
(home / 8:00 –> school / 8:45) ==> I left home at 8:00 and got to school at 8:45.
1. (the train station / 4:30 –> the coffee shop / 4:40)
2. (the park / 10:15 –> the post office / 10:35)
3. (the party / 11:30 –> home / after midnight)
Exercises. Complete the sentences, using “got in / got out / got on / got off.”
Example:
Jack ____________ the bus for the airport. ==> Jack got on the bus for the airport.
1. After we ____________ the plane, Martin discovered he had lost his passport.
2. John ____________ the car and went to the store.
3. The man ____________ of his car and began yelling at the rowdy boys.
4. Today a strange man ____________ the train and played a tuba.