Understanding the Phrasal Verb: How to Get around in English
Learning English phrasal verbs can be tricky, but it's essential for fluency. One common and versatile phrasal verb is "Get around". Understanding how to use "Get around" correctly will significantly boost your conversational skills and comprehension. This article will guide you through the various meanings of "Get around," its grammatical structures, and provide examples. You'll learn how "Get around" is used for travel, news circulation, problem avoidance, and even persuasion, empowering you to use it confidently.
Table of Contents
- What Does Get around Mean?
- Structure with Get around
- Related Phrases and Synonyms
- Practice Time!
- Conclusion
What Does Get around Mean?
The phrasal verb "Get around" is a fantastic example of how English combines simple words to create complex and nuanced meanings. At its core, "Get around" often involves a sense of movement, circumvention, or dissemination. It can refer to literal physical travel, the way news circulates, how one overcomes obstacles, or even the subtle art of influencing others. Learning to distinguish these meanings based on context is a key skill for English learners, and mastering "Get around" will certainly make your English sound more natural and sophisticated. This phrasal verb truly helps you get around communication barriers.
More: Understanding the Phrasal Verb: How to Use 'Get Along With'
Structure with Get around
The versatility of "Get around" means it can be used in several different structures, depending on the specific meaning you want to convey. Its richness comes from these varied applications. Let's explore these common meanings of get around and their typical sentence patterns in more detail. This section will help you get around any confusion you might have about its usage and build your confidence.
1. Meaning: To travel or move from place to place
This is perhaps the most common and intuitive understanding of "Get around". It refers to the act of navigating an area, journeying from one point to another, or general mobility.
Structure 1 (General Travel/Mobility): Subject + get around
- Context: This structure is used when the focus is on the ability or method of movement itself, without specifying a particular destination within the sentence.
- Example 1: In London, it's easy to get around using the Tube, as the network is extensive.
- Example 2: After his surgery, it was difficult for him to get around for a few weeks.
Structure 2 (Travel within a specific place/area): Subject + get around + [place/area]
- Context: Here, you specify the location or environment in which the travel is occurring.
- Example 1: We managed to get around the entire island in just three days by renting a scooter.
- Example 2: How do you usually get around campus? Is it walkable, or do you need a bike?
2. Meaning: For news, information, or rumors to circulate or spread
When information, news, or rumors "get around," it means they become widely known, often passing from person to person.
- Structure: Subject (news/information/rumor) + get around
- Context: The subject of the sentence is typically the information itself that is spreading.
- Example 1: News of their unexpected engagement quickly got around the office, and everyone was talking about it.
- Example 2: It's amazing how fast gossip can get around in a small town, even without social media.
3. Meaning: To avoid or overcome a problem, rule, restriction, or obstacle
This usage of get around implies finding a way to bypass a difficulty or restriction. It can mean finding a clever solution, or sometimes it implies circumventing something in a way that might be slightly devious or against the intended spirit of a rule.
Structure 1 (Avoiding/Overcoming an abstract concept or physical barrier): Subject + get around + [problem/rule/obstacle - typically a noun or noun phrase]
- Context: The object is the thing being avoided or overcome.
- Example 1: Clever lawyers can often find loopholes to get around the strict regulations.
- Example 2: The hikers had to get around a fallen tree that was blocking the path.
Structure 2 (Finding a way to deal with an undesirable situation): Subject + get around + [undesirable situation/fact]
- Context: This is about finding a way to manage or mitigate something that cannot be directly changed.
- Example 1: There's no way to get around the fact that we need more funding for this project. (Here, it can mean 'to ignore or deny the fact' - often used in the negative).
- Example 2: We need to find a way to get around the high cost of these tickets; perhaps there's a discount available.
4. Meaning: To persuade or coax someone (often by flattery, charm, or persistence)
This meaning involves influencing someone to do what you want or to agree with you, often through charm, gentle pressure, or persistent persuasion. It suggests a skillful, sometimes manipulative, way of handling people.
- Structure: Subject + get around + [person]
- Context: The object is the person being persuaded or influenced.
- Example 1: She has a way with words and knows how to get around her father to let her stay out late.
- Example 2: He thought he could get around the usually strict professor with his excuses, but she wasn't convinced.
5. Meaning: To find the time or opportunity to do something (often used with 'to' - get around to doing something)
While often appearing as "get around to," the core phrasal verb "get around" contributes to this meaning. It implies finally managing to do a task or activity, often after a period of delay, procrastination, or being too busy.
- Structure: Subject + (finally) + get around + to + [verb-ing / noun phrase]
- Context: This emphasizes the eventual completion of a previously postponed action.
- Example 1: I have a long list of books I want to read, but I never seem to get around to starting them.
- Example 2: After weeks of meaning to, she finally got around to calling her old friend.
Understanding these different structures and the subtle contexts in which they are used is crucial for mastering the phrasal verb "Get around". Always pay close attention to the surrounding words and the overall situation to determine the intended meaning. Learning to get around the complexities of phrasal verbs is a rewarding part of your English journey!
More: Understanding the Phrasal Verb 'Get Along': Meaning & Usage
Related Phrases and Synonyms
To deepen your understanding and expand your vocabulary beyond just "Get around", it's helpful to explore words and phrases with similar meanings. Remember, the best synonym depends heavily on the specific context in which "Get around" is used, as its meanings are quite diverse.
| Synonym | Explanation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | To go from one place to another, typically over a distance. | We plan to travel through Europe next summer. |
| Circulate | (For news/information) To pass from person to person or place to place. | The rumor began to circulate among the staff. |
| Bypass | To go around or avoid a problem or obstacle, often finding an alternative route. | They managed to bypass the heavy traffic on the main road by taking side streets. |
| Evade | To escape or avoid something, especially by cleverness, trickery, or artifice. | He tried to evade answering the direct question about his involvement. |
| Navigate | To find one's way around a physical place or through a complex situation successfully. | It can be difficult to navigate the city's narrow streets without a good map. |
| Persuade | To cause someone to do something or believe something through reasoning, argument, or charm. | She managed to persuade him to join the team by highlighting the benefits. |
| Overcome | To succeed in dealing with or controlling a problem, difficulty, or emotion. | She worked hard to overcome her fear of public speaking before the presentation. |
| Circumvent | To find a way around an obstacle or restriction, often cleverly or illicitly. | They found a way to circumvent the new security measures. |
These synonyms can provide you with alternative ways to express the various ideas conveyed by "Get around". Using them thoughtfully will make your English sound more varied, precise, and sophisticated. Pay attention to the slight differences in connotation each synonym carries.
More: Get Ahead: Understanding the Phrasal Verb for English Learners
Practice Time!
Let's test your understanding of the phrasal verb "Get around" with a few questions. Choose the best option for each sentence.
Question 1: Which sentence uses "get around" to mean 'travel' or 'move from place to place'?
a) The news of the merger will soon get around everyone in the company.
b) It's quite easy to get around this city by bike because of the dedicated lanes.
c) She tried to get around the rules about deadlines, but her professor didn't accept the late paper.
d) He always manages to get around his mother to borrow the car for the weekend.
Correct answer: b
Question 2: "The story about his promotion quickly got around the office." In this sentence, "got around" means:
a) Avoided
b) Traveled physically
c) Persuaded someone
d) Circulated or spread (news/information)
Correct answer: d
Question 3: "They're looking for ways to _______ the new import tax laws to reduce costs." Which phrasal verb best fits the blank to mean 'avoid' or 'circumvent' a rule or regulation?
a) get around to
b) get over with
c) get around
d) get by on
Correct answer: c
Question 4: My daughter is very charming; she knows how to _______ me to get an extra cookie.
a) get around
b) get off
c) get through with
d) get on with
Correct answer: a
Conclusion
Mastering phrasal verbs like "Get around" is a significant step towards achieving fluency and naturalness in English. As we've explored, "Get around" is a wonderfully versatile phrasal verb. Its meanings span from literal physical travel and movement, to the way information disseminates, to overcoming obstacles, and even to the subtle art of persuasion. Understanding its different nuances and associated grammatical structures will empower you to use it accurately and confidently in a multitude of conversational and written contexts. Keep practicing, listen attentively to how native speakers use it, and soon you'll be able to skillfully "Get around" any communication challenge that comes your way!