Get at is an English phrasal verb. It is always appropriate to learn English prepositions of place
Globalists and maximalists may be indignant: “Isn’t there a lot of honor for some microscopic words, let’s better repeat the passive voice!” But perfectionists can and should stand up for prepositions of place in the English language: “You need to hone your language skills carefully, paying special attention to the little things.”
We don’t know which position is closer to you, but remember, incorrect use of prepositions, even with perfect pronunciation and knowledge of all irregular verbs, will send all your efforts to show off your knowledge of English down the drain. You will never say in Russian “I was at a great party” or “I am studying in St. Petersburg.” Let's remember/learnthe use of prepositions of place to the place together!
To make it easier to imagine what will be discussed, we suggest enlisting the help of your imagination. Who is man's best friend? That's right, dog. And in the study of prepositions too! We involve a charismatic dog in our prepositional story and quickly remember what, where and why. R Let's look at the prepositions in, on, at in English.
Preposition AT
Feel free to use the preposition At when you are talking about a specific place or point, and not an area or unlimited abstract territory:
There were a lot of musicians at a concert. - There were many musicians at the concert.
I met him at Jil's Birthday. - I met him at Jill’s birthday party.
In sentences at a concert and at at Jil’s Birthday prepositions point to specific places.
You can also use the preposition At in company with the names of cities, implying events, activities or institutions located there.
Let's compare a couple of examples:
There were a lot of charismatic people at London Theater Festival. - There were a lot of charismatic people at the festival in London.
There are a lot of charismatic people in London. - There are a lot of charismatic people in London.
The difference is noticeable even for someone who does not have a deep knowledge of English or the theatrical life of London. In the first version London denotes the name of the event (London Theater Festival), in the second version we mean the city itself. Do you still think that prepositions are not worth paying attention to?
Then another example:
I study at university Moscow. - I study at the University of Moscow.
I study in Moscow. - I study in Moscow.
There is a preposition in the first sentence At abbreviates and hides the name of the educational institution, which is fully referred to as The University of Moscow . Pretext in clearly and specifically indicates the city.
You can also use the preposition At, speaking about all kinds of organizations:
She works at Chanel. - She works at Chanel.
When talking about buildings and structures, use the preposition at, when you mean them as specific points or landmarks: at the dentist’s, at the supermarket, at school, at the shop, etc.
I was at the planetarium yesterday. - Yesterday I was in the planetarium.
I eat at McD on Mondays. - I eat at McDonald's on Mondays.
Pretext At preceded by: Their house is at 36 Park Avenue.
Pretext at fits harmoniously before the name of the street when talking about any institution located on it:
The presidents are meeting tomorrow at Downing Street. - Tomorrow there will be a meeting of presidents at Downing Street. This does not refer to the street itself, but to the official residence of the British Prime Minister at this address.
However, say on Wall Street, referring to a financial institution located on this street
The English language never ceases to amaze: preposition at as a general rule it should be used with the verb "arrive" (We arrived at the terminal in time). However, upon arrival in a large city, metropolis, use the preposition in(The bus arrives in Chicago at 11.20).
As you can see, the pretext At more capricious than In, and requires more attention, if only because there are more rules associated with it.
Preposition IN
In would definitely be a favorite preposition of the creators of the cult trilogy “The Matrix”, since it must be used to indicate the position of an object within another larger object or in three-dimensional space (i.e. when the object is surrounded by something on all sides): We will go for a walk in the garden. My coins are in my pocket.
If you want to indicate the place where someone works, you need to use the preposition in. Confused? Then let's look at some examples:
She works at Tate. - She works at Tate.
She works in a gallery - She works in the gallery.
In both sentences we are talking about one place, but in the first case the emphasis is on the company itself, and in the second case - specifically on the place of work.
Remember: work on a farm - work in a factory.
Pretext in should be used if you want to indicate the location of an object inside a building:
I stopped at the theater on my way home. - I stopped at the theater on the way home. (The theater is just a stopping place on the way home, and not a visit to the performance)
It was snowing, so I decided to shelter in the shop. - It was snowing, so I decided to take shelter in the store. (Take shelter from snow in a building, not shopping)
A preposition should be used before the name of the road on or in:
The Gas Station is on / in Wood Road.
Preposition ON
It seems like everything has been sorted out? However, do not forget about the pretext On- it will also be useful to you when indicating the location of something.
Pretext On must be used when you want to indicate the position of an object in space. It would seem that everything is extremely simple and clear. However, the catch is that On appears only when the referenced object comes into contact with a flat surface (on the celling; on the wall; on the floor, etc.) or when we perceive this very space as a straight line. (For example, in the case of a river or road: They built the cottage on the river).
Are you going to travel by bus, train, plane? Bring an excuse with you on your trip On! Taking a taxi or car as a passenger is already an excuse In. Precisely an excuse In perfectly emphasizes the fact of being inside a vehicle, any vehicle at that. Compare examples:
French people read magazines almost everywhere, even on the metro. - The French read magazines almost everywhere, even in the subway.
He was in the train when I "ve come to meet him. - He was on the train when I came to meet him.
We hope you have a pleasant feeling of lightness after reading the article. Prepositions either no longer scare you, or, on the contrary, deserve more attention for detailed study. After you've caught your breath and wiped the sweat from your forehead, get ready to hear some not-so-good news: in English there are NOT only prepositions of place. So don’t neglect the prepositions of time and reason and take a look at the section of English grammar dedicated to them. And then feel free to take the test, which will add the necessary healthy dose of practice to the theory of English prepositions.
Still have doubts? Let's scatter them like clouds before the parade on Red Square! We take the specific verb “arrive” into account and ask vital questions: where and when can we arrive, or more precisely, what prepositions to use in English to indicate this. A little more of your attention and no more misunderstandings.
1) get to
The dog could not get at the meat on the high shelf – DogNotcouldget itmeatonhighshelf
I can’t wait to get at this bottle of Johnnie Walker - INotCanwait, WhenWelet's startthisbottlewhiskey
Don’t let him get at the wine - Make sure he doesn’t get to this wine
2) start
I’ll get at it first thing in the morning - II'll take care of itthisTomorrowin the morning
Iwon'tbeabletogetatituntiltheweekend - It is unlikely that I will be able to start this work before the end of the week
3) imply
What are you getting at when you look at me like that? - Whatatyouonmind, WhenlookonmeSo?
4) pester someone
She'salwaysgettingatherhusband - She always nags her husband
Are you trying to get at me? - YouWantcoto mefind fault?
Stopgettingatme! - Stop pestering me!
He kept trying to get at his teacher - Hehad triedwithdrawteachersfrompatience
Mr Smith found a way to get at his wife - MisterSmithfoundway, Howhurtmywife
He’s always getting at me - Heforevercoto meclings
Wheneverhismother-in-lawstartedtalkingaboutmenwhodrinktoomuch,hehadafeelinghewasbeinggotat - Whenever his mother-in-law started talking about men who drink a lot, he always had the feeling that it was a pebble in his garden
5) to influence someone badly (by bribery, intimidation)
Someone had got at the witness before the trial – BeforecourtWho-Thatprocessedwitness
He‘s been got at - Himbribed
Policemen in this country cannot be got at - PolicemenVthiscountryincorruptible
Takecareshedoesn’t’tgetathim - You must protect him from her influence
Fun Facts
A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for approximately sixty-nine years.
There are not very many rules for using prepositions of place in the English language, which is why remembering them is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. I propose to understand the intricacies of using prepositions at, in, on, which indicate the location of objects.
Let's start with a small table in which we set out a very general rule for where and when to put each preposition:
At | In | On |
---|---|---|
At some point | In a closed space | On a surface |
At the corner- on the corner | In the garden- in the garden | On the wall- on the wall |
At the crossroads- at the crossroads | In a building- in a buiding | On the menu- on the menu |
At the bus stop- at the bus stop | In a car- in car | On the Internet- in the Internet |
The preposition at in English
So let's start with the preposition at. It is translated into Russian in different ways - “at”, “about”, “on”, “in”, “at”. The translation will depend on the place with which the preposition is used. Let's look at some rules and examples.
- Pretext at in English, as a rule, it is used when we are talking about a specific place, point or landmark, and not about the territory or area as a whole:
There were a lot of people at a conference. – There were a lot of people at the conference.
I met him at Jack's party. “I met him at Jack’s at a party.”
In these sentences at a conference And at Jack's party refer to specific places.
We can use this preposition with the names of cities, implying the names of institutions or events taking place in this city. Let's look at a few pairs of proposals:
There were a lot of artistic people at Dublin Theater Festival. – There were a lot of creative people at the festival in Dublin.
There are a lot of artistic people in Dublin. – There are a lot of creative people in Dublin.
As you can see, the difference in meaning is obvious: in the first example Dublin refers to the name of the festival ( Dublin Theater Festival), in the second example we are already talking about the city itself. Such an insignificant detail as a preposition can change the meaning of an entire sentence! Here's another example to think about:
I study at Edinburgh. – I study at the University of Edinburgh.
I study in Edinburgh. – I study in Edinburgh.
Using a preposition at in the first sentence allows us to use the name of the city, although we mean the educational institution whose full name The University of Edinburgh. Using a preposition in in the second example, we are talking only about the city.
- Use a preposition at when talking about buildings as specific points or landmarks: at the dentist's, at the supermarket, at school, at the shop etc. Use a preposition in, if you want to emphasize the fact that someone or something is inside the building:
I stopped at the shop on my way home. – I stopped at the store on the way home. (here the store is just a stop on the way home)
It was raining, so I decided to shelter in the shop. – It was raining, so I decided to take shelter in the store. (what is important here is the fact that I entered the building itself)
- Often at used before the names of buildings in cases where what is important to us is not the building itself, but the action that takes place in it:
I was at the cinema yesterday. – Yesterday I was at the cinema.
I eat at KFC on Mondays. – I eat at KFC on Mondays.
- Use a preposition at before addresses:
Their shop is at 35 Park Road. – Their store is at 35 Park Road.
But do not forget that the preposition is used immediately before the name of the road on or in:
The shop is on/in Park Road. – The store is located on Park Road.
- Pretext at also used with the verb arrive:
We arrived at the airport in time. – We arrived at the airport on time.
But when talking about arriving in any big city, use the preposition in:
The train arrives in New York at 10.30. – The train arrives in New York at 10:30.
As you can see, the largest number of rules concern the use of the preposition at in English, but we also looked at individual cases of using prepositions in And on, since the difference in their use is visible precisely when comparing several sentences, it remains to study very few rules for using these prepositions.
The preposition on in English
Pretext on should be used when the item is in contact with a flat surface ( on the ceiling- on the ceiling, on the wall- on the wall, on the floor- on the floor). By the way, the Internet phenomenon for foreigners is a surface, so it’s correct on the Internet. Although for Russians it is correct “on the Internet”, because for us this is space.
When we perceive space as a straight line, for example, when we talk about a river or a road, we take on.
They built the house on the Humber River. “They built a house on the Humber River.
Also a pretext on in English it is used when talking about traveling by bus, train, plane. When talking about traveling by taxi or car, use the preposition in. You can also use the preposition in, if you want to emphasize the fact that someone or something is inside a vehicle (in this case, the preposition can be used with any type of vehicle). Compare these offers:
He always looks through his papers in the taxi. – He always looks through documents in a taxi.
English people read newspapers everywhere, even on the bus. – The British read newspapers everywhere, even on the bus.
The preposition in in English
Pretext in in English it is used when we want to indicate that an object is inside another, larger object. This is the case when the preposition has an equivalent in Russian - “in”.
Let's go for a walk in the woods. - Let's go for a walk in the forest.
My keys are in my bag. - My keys are in my bag.
At the end, we invite you to watch a video from the teacher Alex. You can look at this topic from the point of view of a native speaker, so be sure to pay attention to the video:
Well, we hope you have learned the main differences in the use of prepositions of place in English. Try to test your knowledge with a small quiz! And don't forget to download our sign.
(*.pdf, 183 Kb)
Test
Prepositions of place in English: at, in, on
In addition to large groups of certain phrasal verbs, our beloved English language has a wide range of other specific combinations of verbs with prepositions that have become firmly established in speech. As you probably already assumed, there are absolutely no rules for their construction, and, of course, you just have to learn them by heart. Bravo, you are absolutely right, it’s immediately clear that this is not the first day of English! So, for today our granite of science is verbs with prepositions in English, the table of which ( and not alone!) will be given below. Well, let's gather our will and start studying?
Since this topic is very voluminous and difficult to understand, we tried to group such English words according to a common feature, which in this case is a preposition. Agree, learning large volumes of new words in parts is much more convenient than trying to cover all the material at once. In addition, phrases with the construction to be are included in a separate list, requiring some kind of preposition after them. Let's take a closer look at how such combinations are used and what role prepositions play in the English construction of set expressions.
Preposition group for
The following verbs with prepositions for in English belong to this group.
Verb | Pretext | Meaning | Use |
depart |
+ for |
depart, departsomewhere | The next train departs for Berlin at 3 o'clock. |
care | To look after, take care of, look after someone. | I will care for your pets. | |
play | Play for smb. | He played for my brother in that match. | |
ask | Beg/ask for something. | The girl asked for a glass of orange juice. | |
charge | Charge for sth. | What do they charge for a call? | |
apply | Address; apply for smth. | Will she apply for the job? | |
thank you | Give thanks for something. | We thank you our guests for these presents. | |
blame | Blame smb. for bad actions. | I blamed my cat for crushing dishes. | |
reach | Reach for some object. | Jane reached for his coat. | |
look | Searchsmb. | Father is looking for his purse. | |
answer | Responsible for someone/sth. | He answers for my daughter. | |
excuse | To apologize for something. | Please, excuse my son for his actions. | |
search | Look for someone | Our neighbors search for their daughter. | |
pay | Pay for smth. | Our friend will pay for lunch. | |
wait | Wait, wait. | My little sister is waiting for my birthday. | |
leave | Leave, leave, leave. | They left for Madrid 3 days ago. | |
go | To do, to offer to do something. | Let's go for a jog! | |
long | To really desire, to crave. | We long for peace, but they long for war. | |
run | run;
Get involved in the election race. |
Ray Jones will run for president | |
offer | Offer any amount for a product/service. | Jack offered me 100$ for my silence. | |
take | Confused, mistaken for someone else. | Sorry, we took you for our friend. | |
account | Explain the reason. | I can't account for the missing money. | |
stand | Mean sth. | What does IBM stand for ? | |
work | Work for smb. | Bill works for Apple. | |
vote | Vote for someone, support. | I voted for rock band AC/DC. |
So, we have already studied one of the most numerous groups of stable combinations of prepositions and verbs in English. These are frequently used expressions, so knowing their meanings will help you not get confused when a similar compound combination appears in the text or in the speech of your interlocutor.
Preposition group on
This is a very small section containing only a dozen phrases. Despite their small number, designs with on are used quite active.
Verb | Pretext | Meaning | Use |
concentrate | + on | Concentrate, concentrate. | The students must concentrate on their studies. |
live | Liveondef.facilities. | We lived on$100 a week when we worked in advertising. | |
spend | Spend money and time on smth. | The boy spends all of his money on comics. | |
congratulate | Congratulate on something. | We congratulated our sister on her wedding | |
rely | Rely on someone | I can always rely on my best friend. | |
depend | Depend on someone. | My English lessons depend on my mood. | |
insist | Insist on smth. | They insist on telling the truth to Michael. | |
comment | Comment. | I want to comment on the article. | |
get | Get into transport. | She got on a train to Prague. | |
count | Count on someone | He can always count on his parents for help. |
Preposition group about
Let's continue to study fixed expressions with prepositions in English. Let's see how used in phrases the preposition about.
Verb | Pretext | Meaning | Use |
think |
+ about |
Think about someone/sth. | I think about my future. |
complain | Complain about someone/sth. | She complains to me about her boyfriend | |
ask | Ask about something. | ||
care | To love someone; be interested in smth. | Ask me about my hobby. | |
feel | Have an opinion about smth. | How do you feel about t that object? | |
talk | Talk about something. | We are talking about our weekend. | |
forget | Forget. | Don't forget about your enemies. | |
dream | To dream about something. | She dreamed about her wedding | |
agree | Agree. | We don't always agree about how to proceed. | |
hear | Hear about something. | I heard about your accident. | |
warn | Warn. | They warned me about this situation in the office. | |
argue | Argue about smth. | We argue about the films. | |
say | Express an opinion, say something. | Do you want to say a few words about our magazine? | |
worry | To worry about someone, to worry about something. | Parents worry about their children all the time. |
Preposition group of
The last numerous representative of phrasal constructions of the form “ verb+preposition ».
Verb | Pretext | Meaning | Use |
hear | +of | Hear/know smth. about smb. | I've never heard of you. |
remind | Remind me of something. | Remind him of our meeting. | |
think | Think. | What does he think of fashion? | |
accuse | Blame someone for something. | John was accused of the road accident. | |
take care | To look after someone/sth., to take care. | I took care of my grandmother. | |
inform | Report something. | The lawyer informed us of his decision. | |
approve | Approve. | Father approves of my choice. | |
consists | To consist, to contain smth. in itself. | Apples consists of water. | |
boast | Boast. | These sportsmen are always boasting of their achievements. | |
deprive | To deprive someone of something. | She was deprived of her property. | |
die | Die from something. | The boy died of an unknown disease. |
United group
Some prepositions combine with only a few verbs, so we have combined them into one general group. So, verbs with prepositions in English - summary table.
Verb | Pretext | Meaning | Use |
believe | + in | Believe. | I believe in Christmas miracles. |
check | Check. | Check the word in the dictionary. | |
succeed | To succeed in smth. | My husband will succeed in life. | |
look | + at | Look at someone or something; consider. | Look at me! |
hint | Hint at something. | I don't understand what you're hinting at . | |
point | Point, direct at someone. | Don't point the gun at me. | |
shout | Yell at smb. | Why do you shout at children? | |
laugh | Laugh, make fun of. | They often laugh at my little dog. | |
agree | + with | Agree with someone or something. | I agree with my trainer. |
argue | Argue, quarrel. | My sister often argues with our parents. | |
begin | Start with something. | I began my way with a first step. | |
happen |
+ to |
Happen to someone, something. | We don't know what's happened to our car. |
listen | Listen, obey someone. | I like listen to his stories. | |
belong | Belong. | All buildings in this street belong to me. | |
complain | Complain to someone. | I can't complain to my father. | |
add | Add to smth. | Could you add some milk to my tea? | |
move | Move. | We moved to Moscow yesterday. |
Use without pretext
There are also several opposite cases. The following verbs will almost always be used without prepositions.
- to enter - to enter, cross the threshold, penetrate. I entered her room.
- tofollow – Follow, accompany, monitor. Don't follow me.
- tojoin – To join, join, enter service. Join our club!
- to discuss ( something) – Discuss something. We discuss the article.
Such non-prepositional constructions are often found in English speech.
Verbs with prepositions in English table with to be
We have already learned how the English love to use English verbs with and without different prepositions in set expressions. But don't forget about the design. tobe, phrases from which occupy a huge layer of the English language. Of course, it is almost impossible to learn all verbs with such a combination, so we will limit ourselves to only the most commonly used phrases.
Design | Meaning | Use |
be sure of | To have confidence in something, to be confident. | I am sure of my skills. |
be afraid of | To have fear, to be afraid of something. | Many people are afraid of losing their jobs. |
be married to | To be married to someone, to be married. | Alice was married to a policeman |
be tired of | Get tired of smth. | I am tired of the lesson |
be satisfied with | To be pleased, satisfied with smth. | My mother was never satisfied with the results of her work. |
be proud of | Be proud of smth., someone. | My friend Roman was really proud of his pictures. |
be surprised at | Be surprisedsomethingl. | I was surprised at your actions. |
be ashamed of | Feel ashamed about smth. | I am not ashamed of Roman's pictures too. |
be good at | To have the ability to be good at something. | They say I am very good at foreign languages. |
be careful of | Be careful, beware. | Be careful of the angry dog. |
be dressed in | To be dressed in smth. | All my relatives were dressed in various red suits at my birthday party. |
be jealous of | Feelings of envy, jealousy. | He is just jealous of his wife. |
The verb get is one of the most commonly used words in the English language. When we turn it into a phrasal verb, that is, we add small words - prepositions, then its use becomes even wider.
Therefore it is necessary to know it.
In this article I have collected 17 of the most used expressions with the verb get.
17 meanings of the phrasal verb get in English
Let's look at what combinations the verb get forms.
1. Phrasal verb get away
Translation: 1. To escape, to avoid, to run away, to escape 2. To go on vacation
Meaning:
1. To leave or run away from somewhere or someone. Especially when it is difficult to do so.
2. Travel or go on vacation somewhere
We tried to getaway from the crowds.
We tried to avoid the crowd.
I just need to get away for a few days.
I just need to get out and relax for a few days.
2. Phrasal verb get along
Translation: To get along, to be on good terms
Meaning: Like each other and be friends with each other
She gets along with children.
She gets along with children.
I get along with my boss.
I'm on good terms with my boss.
3. Phrasal verb get across
Translation: Convey to the listener, clearly state
Meaning: Successfully convey information to others
He got his idea across.
He got his idea across.
She could get her point across to the audience.
She was able to convey her point of view to the audience.
4. Phrasal verb get ahead
Translation: Succeed, move forward
Meaning: Be successful in the work you do
They want to get ahead in life.
They want to succeed in life.
He wants to get ahead in his work.
He wants to succeed at work.
5. Phrasal verb get back
Translation: Come back
Meaning: Return to somewhere after you've been somewhere else
We must get back.
We must go back.
I want to get back home.
I want to go home.
6. Phrasal verb get back to
Translation: Call someone back, contact them later
Meaning: Call someone to give information they asked for or because you couldn't talk the last time they called
I will get back to you.
I'll call you back.
She will get back to you later.
She will contact you later.
7. Phrasal verb get behind
Translation: To fall behind, to be late
Meaning: Not doing as much work or not paying as much money as you owed by a certain date
He got behind his study.
He fell behind in his studies.
I don't want to get behind with my work.
I don't want to overstay my job.
8. Phrasal verb get by
Translation: Survive, get by
Meaning: Be able to live or cope with a difficult situation using what you have
I can get by without your help.
I can do without your help.
I don't know how he gets by on so little money.
I don't know how he gets by with such little money.
9. Phrasal verb get down
Translation: Grieve
Meaning: Making someone feel unhappy
He is really getting me down.
He really upset me.
Don't let it get you down.
You shouldn't get upset about this.
10. Phrasal verb get in
Translation: to arrive, to arrive
Meaning: Reach a certain place
What time did you get in?
When will you come?
Our train is getting in later.
Our train arrives later.
11. Phrasal verb get on
Translation: Get along, get along (with people)
Meaning: Be on good terms with someone
I get on with my sister.
My sister and I get along well.
She gets on with her mother-in-law.
They get along with their mother-in-law.
12. Phrasal verb get off
Translation: 1. Get out of the vehicle 2. Finish work
Meaning:
1. Leave the bus, train, plane or boat
2. Leave the place where you work
Let's get off the bus.
Let's get off the bus.
When do you usually get off work?
What time do you usually leave work?
13. Phrasal verb get out
Translation: Get out (rough form)
Meaning: Leave some place
Get out of my room.
Get out of my room.
Get out of our house.
Get out of our house.
14. Phrasal verb get over
Translation: recover, survive
Meaning: Feel better after being sick or sad
We got over many difficulties.
We have experienced many difficulties.
She will get over the shock soon.
She will soon recover from the shock.
15. Phrasal verb get round to
Translation: Get to something, find time for something
Meaning: Take your time to finally do something
I will get round to call you.
I'll find time to call you.
She got round to sport.
She found time for sports.
16. Phrasal verb get together
Translation: Come together
Meaning: Informal meeting or party
Let's get together.
Let's get together.
We get together once a year.
We get together once a year.
17. Phrasal verb get up
Translation: Get up
Meaning: Get to your feet, take a standing position
You have to get up early.
You must get up early.
I usually getup at 8.
I usually get up at eight.
So, we have looked at the use of the phrasal verb get. Now let's practice using it.
Reinforcement task
Translate the following sentences into English. Leave your answers in the comments below the article.
1. He gets along with his parents.
2. He wants to return to Russia.
3. She brought her idea to her boss.
4. The train arrives at 8 pm.
5. We get together every weekend.