Kenji: Ben, how did you get away with missing the meeting again?
Ben: I didn't, actually — Sofía got on my case about it all day.
Sofía: Someone has to. He needs to get over the idea that deadlines are optional.
Ben: I'm getting there. Slowly.
Common mistake: “I need to get over to the new phone.” — Correct: “I need to get over losing my phone.”
'Get' changes meaning completely depending on the word that follows it — the particle is not decoration, it's the meaning.
GET + particle = a whole new verb
Phrasal verb
Meaning
Example
get up
leave bed
I get up at 7
get away with
do something wrong with no punishment
He got away with it
get on (with)
have a good relationship / progress
We get on really well
get over
recover from something difficult
She got over the loss
get through
finish or survive something hard
We got through the exam
get by
manage with little
I get by on a small salary
🌅 get up — rise from bed or stand
🏃 get away with — escape without punishment
🤝 get on (with) — have a friendly relationship with someone
🩹 get over — recover from illness or disappointment
🏁 get through — finish or survive a difficult situation
🪙 get by — manage to survive with little money
💡 get it — understand clearly
Ben gets up at noon whenever he can.
Sofía and Kenji get on really well.
It took Ben weeks to get over losing his phone.
We got through the whole exam in an hour.
Ben didn't get away with forgetting the meeting again.
Kenji doesn't get by on his Spanish alone; he still needs English.
I don't get it — can you explain again?
What time do you usually get up?
How do you get on with your new neighbors?
Did Ben ever get over losing that first phone?
Do you get on well with Kenji? Yes, I do.
Did you get through the exam? Yes, I did.
Do you get it now? Yes, I do.
Practice
Ben ___ at noon whenever he can. (gets up, gets over, gets by)
It took Ben weeks to ___ losing his phone. (get over, get up, get on)
Sofía and Kenji ___ really well. (get on, get by, get away)
'Get over' means to recover from something difficult.
'Get away with' means to do something wrong and be punished for it.
'Get by' means to manage with very little.
I don't ___ it, can you explain again?
We ___ (get, past) through the whole exam in an hour.
Kenji doesn't ___ by on his Spanish alone.
Unscramble: Ben, gets, up, at, noon
Unscramble: we, got, through, the, exam, in, an, hour
Find the mistake: Ben didn't get away for forgetting the meeting.
I want to leave bed early tomorrow. — Rewrite using 'get up'.
Ben recovered from losing his phone eventually. — Rewrite using 'get over'.
Do you get on well with Kenji? — Answer with a short answer (Yes).
I get it now. — Write the negative form.
Did you get through the exam? (short answer, Yes)
Listening
Kenji: How do you get by without a working phone, Ben?
Ben: Honestly, I don't know. I just get on with things.
Sofía: He's still not over losing it, though.
Ben: I am getting over it! Slowly.
Kenji: You said that last time too.
Ben: And I'll get through this one too. I always do.
Reading
Ben has a theory about phrasal verbs with 'get': they follow him around like his phone problems. He gets up late most days, gets by without much money, and somehow always gets away with being late to things that actually matter. When Sofía teases him about losing another phone, he insists he's getting over it — even though this is the fourth time this year. Kenji, ever the optimist, says Ben will eventually get through this phase and become more careful. Sofía isn't so sure. 'Some people never really get it,' she says. 'And I think Ben might be one of them.'
Ben gets up early every day.
Ben says he is getting over losing his phone.
This is the first time Ben has lost a phone this year.