To Get - Verb Meanings and Lessons for ESL Students

'To Get' - Verb Meanings and Lessons for ESL Students The verb to get is used in many senses in English and can be confusing at times. Here is a list of the top ten uses of to get with simple explanations and example sentences. Of course, these are not all the senses of to get. In fact, there are many phrasal verbs with to get. This list is meant to give intermediate level learners the main senses of this important verb. To Acquire Get acquire, buy, come into the possession of something. She got a lot of paintings from her uncle.They got a new pet.Get your results the next day.I got my computer at the Apple store. To Become Get become, to change into a state, often used with adjectives. He got annoyed when he heard the bad news.It must be getting more serious.Janice has gotten much more open in her attitudes.Please dont get angry with me! To Receive Get receive a present, obtain attention. I got some clothes for Christmas.His movie got a good review.I got some books from my girlfriend.What would you like to get for your birthday? To Arrive Get arrive, reach a destination. She got home at 7 oclock.She didnt get to Chicago until after midnight.I got to work late because of the weather.I wont be able to get there until later.   To Bring Get bring, fetch, go and bring or take back. Get me those books over there, please.Could you get the wine?Let me get the shovel and well go to work.Ill just get my phone and then we can leave.   To Experience Get experience, undergo, of mental or physical states or experiences. He got an idea.  She gets vertigo when she looks out the window.They get nauseous when they drive.Peter got frightened by what he thought was a ghost.   To Make Get make, score, achieve a point or goal. Nicklaus got a 70 on that extremely difficult golf course.The Brazilian team got 4 goals.She got 29 points that day.Anthony got 12 rebounds during the game. To Contract Get contract, take, be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness. He got a horrible disease while he was traveling.  She got pneumonia and had to go to the hospital.She got a cold from Tom.Unfortunately, I got ill from drinking the water while on vacation.   To Induce Get induce, stimulate, cause, make someone do, cause to do; cause to act in a certain way, always followed by an object. My children finally got me to buy a computer.My wife got me to pay attention to the speaker.The class got the teacher to postpone the test.  I wish I could get them to take me seriously! To Pay Back Get pay back, take vengeance on or get even Well get them!  Thatll get him good!This time I got him.Just wait until I get you! Get Uses Quiz Decide how get is meant in the following sentences.   I got three As last semester. - be striken by / become / scorePeter has gotten serious about his studies. - arrive / cause / becomeThey got their father to buy them a new horse. - bring / acquire / cause  We got three books for our new library. - experience / cause / receiveJane got the flu from her students last week. - arrive / experience / contractCould you get me the paper? - receive / fetch / take vengeanceI got spooked by all the talk of revolution. - experience / fetch / becomeI got some excellent advice on the new job. - bring / receive / causeShe promised to get him some day for all his bad behavior. - pay back / fetch / acquireJohn Handersohn got 32 points and 12 rebounds during the game last night. - become / score / arrive Answers scorebecomecausereceivecontractfetchexperiencereceivepay backscore There are also a wide range of idioms and expressions with get and numerous phrasal verbs with get.