How to use GET in English: MASTERCLASS!

Get has so many meanings.

I honestly think it's one of the most

confusing words in the English language.

Get can mean to understand.

Do you get it?

It can mean obtain.

I got a new job.

It can mean to receive.

Did you get my message?

It can mean to buy.

Where did you get your bag?

It can mean to take.

Shall we get a taxi?

There are so many meanings, which is why

I have created the Get Masterclass.

This is the only video about get you will

ever need.

By the end of this long but essential

Masterclass, you will have a full understanding of how to use the word get.

To make this even easier for you to process, I have created an ebook.

Everything you need to know about get.

And I have decided to give it to you for

free, so you can download it now.

All you have to do is click on the link

in the description box, enter your name and your email address, you sign up to my

mailing list, and the ebook will arrive directly in your inbox.

After that, you will automatically receive my free weekly PDFs along with my

news, course updates and offers.

It's a free service, and you can

unsubscribe at any time.

The ebook also contains some extra

phrasal verbs with get and idioms with get and, of course, a quiz to test what

you've learnt to put what you've learned into practice.

You'll also receive a secret link to an interactive exercise covering the

materials from this video.

Okay, this is going to be a long video,

so I'm going to tell you exactly what you're going to learn, so you know what

to expect.

First, I'm going to go through the forms

of get.

Then, we'll look at get when followed by

an adjective or a noun phrase.

In this section, we'll look at the many

different uses of get, some of the ones I mentioned at the beginning.

After that, we'll look at get + ing verb, get + to infinitive and have got.

We'll also discuss how we use get in the passive voice and in causative structures.

We'll end the video with 5 phrasal verbs, expressions and idioms with get.

Okay, let's start with the verb forms of get.

I swear by the end of this video, get

will not sound like a real word.

We will have said it so many times.

Get is an irregular verb.

The past simple is got, and the past

participle is got or gotten.

In British English, we typically use got

as the past participle, while gotten, is more common in North American English.

Gotten is also used in some regional varieties of British English.

In this video, I'm going to use got as the past participle, but you can use either.

Now, let's look at our first usage of get.

We use get followed by an adjective to

talk about things changing and to say we reach a particular state or condition.

In this case, it can be useful to think of get as become.

I'm getting tired.

I'm becoming tired.

It's getting dark.

It's becoming dark.

Eat up, your dinner's getting cold or it was cold this morning, but it's getting

warmer now.

We can use comparative adjectives like

warmer, or we got married last year.

Married is an adjective,

or I got used to waking up early when my children were little.

To get used to is a phrase meaning to become familiar.

We can also use get + object + adjective to say that we make someone or

something change in some way.

For example, can you get the dog ready to

go for a walk, please?

Now, let's talk about some more uses of

Get when it's followed by a noun or a noun phrase.

I'm going to do a little quiz.

I'm going to read you 4 sentences

which have get in them and I will show you 4 verbs that have the same meaning

as get in each sentence.

Can you match the uses of get to the verbs?

Okay, so we have, I got a new dress for my birthday.

We got a bus to the airport.

We got to Rome at 5 PM and Will is going

to get a new coat in the sale.

The verbs I want you to match to each

sentence are buy, receive, take and arrive.

Don't worry about the  prepositions in the sentences.

Just think about the meanings of get.

I'll give you 5 seconds, but pause the

video if you need to.

Okay, time is up.

Let's go through the answers.

Number 1, I got a new dress for my birthday.

I received a new dress for my birthday.

Get can mean receive.

Here are a couple more examples.

I hope Julie gets a good mark on her

physics exam or the orchestra got a huge round of applause.

Number 2, we got a bus to the airport.

We took a bus to the airport.

Get can mean take a form of transport.

You can get a taxi or get a train.

Number 3, we got to Rome at 5 PM.

We arrived in Rome at 5 PM.

Get can mean arrive.

Get is often followed by the preposition

to, but arrive is usually followed by in or at.

Remember that get home is a common exception because we don't use a preposition.

Some more examples.

I got to the restaurant 10 minutes early.

I arrived at the restaurant 10 minutes early.

And number 4, only one option left, buy.

Will is going to get a new coat in the sale.

Will is going to buy a new coat in the sale.

Get can mean buy.

It can also mean obtain, meaning to

receive something by making an effort.

For example, we often say you get a job,

which has the same meaning.

So, to recap, get means receive, take as

in a form of transport, arrive and buy or obtain.

Let's take a look at 4 more sentences

with 4 more verbs that could be used to replace get.

Number 1, I'm getting a headache.

Number 2, can you get me my phone, please?

Number 3, it got to 6 o 'clock and they still weren't there.

And number 4, I didn't get the joke.

Here are the verbs.

We have develop, reach, bring and understand.

Again, don't worry about the prepositions.

I'll give you five seconds, but pause the video if you need to.

Okay, here are the answers.

Number 1, develop.

I'm getting a headache.

I'm developing a headache.

We often use get to talk about having an illness or an illness starting.

For example, I got the flu last winter and I was in bed for 2 weeks.

Number 2 is bring.

Can you get me my phone, please?

Can you bring me my phone, please?

We can use get to mean bring.

Often we use two objects after get with this meaning.

Here me is the first object, the indirect object, and my phone is the second

object, the direct object.

Another example, I got you some books

from the library, or I brought you some books from the library.

The two objects are you and some books.

Number 3, we have reach.

It got to 6 o 'clock, and they still weren't there.

It reached 6 o 'clock, and they still weren't there.

Get to can mean reach, as in reach a time or reach a stage.

Notice this in the example sentence.

It was got to, but just reach on its own

without a preposition.

Another example, I can't believe I got to

50 without ever breaking a bone.

And number 4, understand.

I didn't get the joke.

I didn't understand the joke.

We can use get to mean to understand.

We often use it with jokes or to

understand information or a lesson.

Another example, I didn't get the point

of the film.

I didn't understand the point of the film.

To recap again, get can mean develop or have an illness, bring or give, and reach

a time or stage and understand.

Now, let's look at what happens when get

is followed by an -ing verb or a to-infinitive.

Get + ing verb often means start or happen.

With an object, it means make something start or make something happen.

For example, sorry, I'm late.

I got talking to Jessica.

I started talking to Jessica.

Or, I can't get the car going.

I think the battery is flat, meaning I can't make the car start.

The car is the object.

We use get + to-infinitive to talk

about managing to do something, being allowed to do something, or having the

opportunity to do something.

For example, I didn't get to see him.

Or, we got to ride the roller coaster twice.

These examples could have any of the

meanings I mentioned previously.

You might have to ask the person speaking

to clarify.

Now, I want to talk about got as part of

the structure have or has got.

Have got means the same as have when we

talk about things like possessions, illnesses, and relationships.

We often use contractions, I've got, she's got, instead of the full form.

For example, have you got a pen?

Or Camilla's got a headache.

I've got one sister and two brothers.

I haven't got any brothers or sisters.

Have got is considered less formal than have in these sentences, and you're more

likely to hear it in spoken English.

Have got is also more common in British

English than in American English in this context.

In more formal language or in American

English, people tend to use have more often.

For example, do you have a pen?

Camilla has a headache.

I don't have any brothers or sisters.

We also use have or has got when we talk about obligation.

In this case, it's followed by a to-infinitive.

We replace have or has to with has or

have got to.

For example, have you got to finish all

that work today?

Or, I've got to go, sorry.

You'll often hear have got to contracted to gotta or gotta, sometimes with the

flap T.

I gotta go.

Again, have got to is less formal than

have to or have to and gotta or gotta is really informal.

We use get in several ways in the passive voice and in causative structures.

Get can replace be in passive sentences with the structure get + past participle.

Using get is more informal.

For example, Kathy got promoted yesterday.

Get can replace have in causative structures.

Again, get is less formal than have.

We use the causative when we talk about causing people to do things or causing

something to happen.

In active sentences, the structure is get

+ person + to infinitive.

For example, I'll get my grandpa to make

us some sandwiches before our hike tomorrow.

This means I'll persuade my grandpa to do this.

In passive causative sentences, the structure is get + object + past participle.

For example, Pete got his teeth whitened, meaning someone whitened Pete's teeth.

Get can also replace have in sentences with the get + object + past

participle structure with a different meaning.

We use it to say that something happened

to us, and it's often something negative.

For example, we got our van broken into

last night.

We didn't arrange for someone to break

into our van.

It just happened.

I have a video about causative structures that I'll link below.

I'm going to teach you 5 phrasal verbs with get, 5 really important

collocations with get, and 5 amazing idioms with get.

We're starting with phrasal verbs.

Be aware that most of these phrasal verbs

also have multiple meanings.

I'm introducing one of the most common

meanings and uses here, but there's more information in my get ebook.

The link for that is in the description box.

Number 1, get away.

To get away means to go on holiday.

This is a nice positive phrasal verb to

start with.

An example, we want to get away for a few

days in August.

Number 2, to get over something or somebody.

To get over means to feel better after an illness or a bad experience, like a breakup.

For example, it took me a week to get over my cold, or you really need to get

over her!

You need to forget about her and feel better.

Number 3, to get back.

This means to return to a place.

We often use it when we're talking about returning home.

For example, I got back late last night.

Number 4, to get on.

This means to have a good relationship.

My parents and I have always got on.

We often use well; to get on well.

I really get on well with my teacher.

Get is often followed by get on with someone.

Do you get on with your workmates?

Get along or get along with is a synonym for get on.

I have a bonus idiom for you, even though we haven't started the idioms yet, to get

on like a house on fire.

To get on like a house on fire means to

like someone very much and to become friends quickly.

It sounds like it's going to be a negative one because who wants a house on

fire, but it means it progresses quickly.

It does very well.

I met her at school and we got on like a house on fire.

We got on so well.

And number 5, my final phrasal verb,

to get together.

To get together means to meet someone

often to talk about something.

For example, Kerry and I will get

together next week to discuss the party.

Get together can also be followed by with

someone, to get together with someone.

I got together with my colleagues to plan

the upcoming event.

Finally, get-together is also a noun.

A get-together is an informal meeting or party, often for a particular purpose.

For example, we're having a get-together on Saturday to say goodbye to Abdullah.

Okay, next, should we do collocations or idioms?

I choose collocations.

We're going to look at 5 common collocations with get.

There are, of course, many, many more.

This is just a taster, but I have put

more in the ebook.

Number 1, to get to know.

If you get to know somebody or something, you slowly start to learn more about them

and you become more familiar with them.

For example, I really want to get to know

my colleagues better.

Number 2, get in trouble.

If you get in trouble, you face problems because you've done something wrong or

you've done something against the rules.

Example: I need to get home in time or

I'll get in trouble with my parents.

Number 3, get the impression.

Get the impression.

We use this to say we form an opinion or

get a feeling about someone or something.

For example, we got the impression that

Jules was bored.

We thought she was bored, even though she

didn't say it.

Number four, we spoke about this one

before, but get the joke is a really common collocation.

To get the joke means understand the joke.

Everyone laughed, but I didn't get the joke.

As I mentioned, you'll often hear people saying, I don't get it, meaning I don't

understand the joke, or I don't understand what's happening?

And number 5, get some sleep.

Get some sleep.

We say get some sleep to suggest it's a good idea to go to bed and rest.

I need to get some sleep before my exam tomorrow.

Okay, we're in the final part of this get

masterclass: idioms.

And to make this really stick in your

head, I'm going to do another quiz.

I'm going to show you some sentences

containing the idioms with 1 word missing.

And I want you to choose a word from the

list I give you to complete them.

You will need your pause button for this

one because we're running out of time.

But here are the sentences.

The words to fill in are rid, feel, nerves, act and weigh.

I'm going to give you 5 seconds.

So please pause because you're probably

going to need more time.

Okay, here are the answers.

We have, that loud noise is really getting on my nerves.

2, I need to get rid of my old school books.

3, you're going to have to get your

act together if you want to pass the exam.

4, I'm starting to get a feel for this place.

And 5, you can't always get your own way.

How did you do out of 5?

And do you know what these idioms mean?

If not, I'm going to explain them now.

Number 1, to get on somebody's nerves.

If someone or something gets on your

nerves, it or they annoy you.

For example, the students' constant

chatter is getting on my nerves.

It's annoying me.

2, to get rid of something.

To get rid of something means to throw

something away or remove something or someone.

For example, I need to get rid of some of

the old clothes in my wardrobe.

3, to get your own way.

If you get your own way, you get or do what you want despite other people trying

to stop you.

You can replace your with other

possessive adjectives like my and her.

My daughter wanted to wear her pajamas to

the supermarket today.

And of course, she got her own way.

She is wearing the pajamas.

4, get your act together.

This phrase means to become organised or behave more responsibly.

It implies that someone's situation now is disorganised and not satisfactory.

You can say this to someone, although it's quite strong.

Or you can say it about yourself or someone.

Again, you can replace your with other

possessive adjectives.

Rich finally got his act together, and now

he's got a job and he's saving for a flat.

And number 5, our final idiom is to

get a feel for something.

To get a feel for something means to

begin to understand something.

After a few lessons, Johan started

getting a feel for playing the guitar.

Or, I'm getting a feel for how to use the

word get.

Right, that is it for your masterclass on

the word get.

There is loads more to cover, and there

are loads of exercises to complete.

So, make sure you download the get

ebook that I have made.

In the email, you will get that link to

the secret exercise pack as well.

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I will see you soon for another lesson.