THE VERB TO GET

TO GET can be used in a number of patterns and has a number of meanings.

TO GET + DIRECT OBJECT = TO OBTAIN, TO RECEIVE, TO BUY

 I got my passport last week. (to obtain)
 She got her driving license last week. (to obtain)
 They got permission to live in Switzerland. (to obtain)
 I got a letter from my friend in Nigeria. (to receive)
 He gets $1,000 a year from his father. (to receive)
 She got a new coat from Zappaloni in Rome. (to buy)
 We got a new television for the sitting room. (to buy)

TO GET + PLACE EXPRESSION = REACH, ARRIVE AT A PLACE

 How are you getting home tonight?
 We got to London around 6 p.m.
 What time will we get there?
 When did you get back from New York?

TO GET + ADJECTIVE = BECOME, SHOW A CHANGE OF STATE

 I am getting old.
 It's getting hotter.
 By the time they reached the house they were getting hungry.
 I'm getting tired of all this nonsense.
 My mother's getting old and needs looking after.
 It gets dark very early in the winter.
 Don't touch the stove until is gets cool.

TO GET + PREPOSITION/ADVERB = PHRASAL VERBS WITH VARIOUS

MEANINGS

TO GET + Meaning Example

to get at try to express I think I see what you're getting a

to get away escape punishment for a crime or bad action I can't believe you got away with
with

to get by manage (financially) Sam doesn't earn much, but we ge

to get down depress, descend This rain is really getting me dow

TO GET + Meaning Example

to get off leave a form of transport (train, bus, bicycle, plane) We got off the train just before th

to get on 1. enter/sit on a form of transport (train, bus, bicycle, 1. He got on his bicycle and rode
plane) 2. Amy and I really get on well.
2. have a relationship with someone

to get on with to proceed I have so much homework, I'd bet

to get out of avoid doing something, especially a duty She got out of the washing-up eve
her turn.

to get over recover (from an illness, a surprise) Have you gotten over your cold y

to get through use or finish the supply of something We've got through all the sugar.

to get up leave your bed He gets up at 6.00 a.m. every mor

to get up to do - usually something bad The children are very quiet. I won
to.

OTHER EXPRESSIONS WITH GET

 Do you get it means do you understand.
Do you get what the teacher was explaining in class?
 He's getting dinner tonight means he's preparing the meal.
You can relax. It's my turn to get dinner tonight.
 I'll get the bill means I'll pay.
Put your wallet away! I'll get the bill.
 That really gets me! means that irritates me.
It really gets me when my sister shows up late.
 To get rid of something means to throw it away.
I'm going to get rid of all these old newspapers.
 To get out of bed on the wrong side means to be in a bad mood.
He got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning and he's been horrible all day.
 To get your own back means to have your revenge or punish someone.
She's getting her own back for all those rude things you said at the party last night.

Do vs. Make
English Vocabulary

Do and Make are two verbs which frequently confuse students. Here we will learn about the
difference between Do and Make and when to use each one.

When do you use DO?

DO is used as follows:

1. DO is used when talking about work, jobs or tasks. Note, they do not produce any physical
object.

 Have you done your homework?

 I have guests visiting tonight so I should start doing the housework now.
 I wouldn't like to do that job.

2. DO is used when we refer to activities in general without being specific. In these cases, we
normally use words like thing, something, nothing, anything, everything etc.

 Hurry up! I've got things to do!

 Don't just stand there – do something!
 Is there anything I can do to help you?

3. We sometimes use DO to replace a verb when the meaning is clear or obvious. This is more
common in informal spoken English:

 Do I need to do my hair? (do = brush or comb)

 Have you done the dishes yet? (done = washed)
 I'll do the kitchen if you do the lawns (do = clean, do = mow)

Remember Do can also be as an auxiliary verb (for making questions in the present tense - Do
you like chocolate?) For more about Do used in this case, see our page about Do vs Does. Here
we will be talking about Do as a normal verb.

When do you use MAKE?

Make is for producing, constructing, creating or building something new.
It is also used to indicate the origin of a product or the materials that are used to make
something.

 His wedding ring is made of gold.

 The house was made of adobe.
 Wine is made from grapes.
  The watches were made in Switzerland

We also use Make for producing an action or reaction:

 Onions make your eyes water.

 You make me happy.
 It’s not my fault. My brother made me do it!

You make before certain nouns about plans and decisions:

 He has made arrangements to finish work early.

 They're making plans for the weekend.
 You need to make a decision right now.

We use Make with nouns about speaking and certain sounds:

 She made a nice comment about my dress.

 The baby is asleep so don't make any noise.
 Can I use your phone to make a call?
 Don't make a promise that you cannot keep.

We use Make with Food, Drink and Meals:

 I made a cake for her birthday.

 She made a cup of tea.
 I must go now. I have to make dinner.

Compare Do and Make

A: You have to make a cake for Simon.
B: I’ll do it later.

Notice how in the response the verb DO is used. This is because the meaning is clear and to
avoid saying “I’ll make it later.” which could sound repetitive.
Do vs. Make Comparison Chart

Common Expressions with Do and Make

The following expressions are set collocations (combinations of words that frequently appear
together) that you need to learn:

Expressions with DO
The following words are normally used with Do:
  a burp
 a course
 a crossword
 a dance
 a drawing
 a fart
 a favor / favour
 a job
 a painting
 a project
 a service
 an assignment
 anything
 badly
 business
 chores
 damage
 everything
 exercises
 good
 harm
 nothing
 research
 right (the right thing)
 something
 the dishes
 the gardening
 the housework
 the ironing
 the laundry
 the rest
 the shopping
 the washing
 well
 work
 wrong (the wrong thing)
 your best
 your hair
 your homework
 your job
 your nails
 your work

Expressions with MAKE

The following words are normally used with MAKE:

 a bet
 a cake
 a call
 a change
 a choice
 a comment
 a complaint
 a confession
 a connection
 a cup of coffee / tea
 a date
 a decision
 a demand
 a difference
 a discovery
 a face
 a fool of yourself
 a fortune
 a friend
 a fuss
 a joke
 a line
 a list
 a living
 a loss
 a mess
 a mistake
 a noise
 a pass at someone
 a phone call
 a plan
 a point
 a prediction
 a profit
 a promise
 a reservation
 a sandwich
 a scene
 a sound
 a speech
 a statement
 a suggestion
 advances
 alterations
 an appointment
 an announcement
 an attempt
 an effort
 an error
 an escape
 an exception
 an excuse
 an impression
 an observation
 an offer
 amends
 arrangements
 breakfast
 certain
 clear
 dinner
  faces
 famous
 fun of someone
 love
 lunch
 inquiries
 peace
 possible
 progress
 money
 room
 sales
 sense
 someone rich
 someone smile
 sure
 trouble
 war
 your bed
 your mind up
 your way

Let / Make / Have / Get

f t g+ p
The following is a mini-tutorial on the use of the causative verbs "let," "make," "have,"
and "get." After you have studied the tutorial, complete the associated exercises. If
you already know how to use these verbs, you can skip the explanation and go
directly to the exercises.

Let

FORM

[let + person + verb]

USE

This construction means "to allow someone to do something."

Examples:

 John let me drive his new car.

 Will your parents let you go to the party?
 I don't know if my boss will let me take the day off.
Make

FORM

[make + person + verb]

USE

This construction means "to force someone to do something."

Examples:

 My teacher made me apologize for what I had said.

 Did somebody make you wear that ugly hat?
 She made her children do their homework.

Have

FORM

[have + person + verb]

USE

This construction means "to give someone the responsibility to do something."

Examples:

 Dr. Smith had his nurse take the patient's temperature.

 Please have your secretary fax me the information.
 I had the mechanic check the brakes.

Get

FORM

[get + person + to + verb]

USE

This construction usually means "to convince to do something" or "to trick someone
into doing something."

Examples:

 Susie got her son to take the medicine even though it tasted terrible.
 How can parents get their children to read more?
 The government TV commercials are trying to get people to stop smoking.
Get vs. Have

Sometimes "get someone to do something" is interchangeable with "have someone

do something," but these expressions do not mean exactly the same thing.

Examples:

 I got the mechanic to check my brakes.

At first the mechanic didn't think it was necessary, but I convinced him to check the
brakes.
 I had the mechanic check my brakes.
I asked the mechanic to check the brakes.