LESSON 1

to get in/to get on: to enter or to board a vehicle

To get in is used for cars; to get on is used for all other forms of transportation.

• It's easiest to get in the car from the driver's side. The door on the other side doesn't work well.
• I always get on the bus to work at 34^th Street.

to get out of/to get off: to leave or to descend from a vehicle.

To get out of is used for cars; to get off is used for all other forms of transportation.

• Why don't we stop and get out of the car for a while?
• Helen got off the train at the 42^nd Street terminal.

to put on: to place on oneself (usually said of clothes) (S)

• Mary put on her coat and left the room.
• Put your hat on before you leave the house.

to take off: to remove (usually said of clothes) (S)

• John took off his jacket as he entered the office.
• Take your sweater off. The room is very warm.

to call up: to telephone (also: to give some one a call) (S)

To call can be used instead of to call up, as in the first example below.

• I forgot to call up Mr. Jones yesterday. I'd better call him now.
• Call me up tomorrow, Jane. We'll arrange a time to have lunch together.

I promise to give you a call as soon as I arrive in New York.

 to turn on: to start or cause to function (also: to switch on) (S)

• Please turn on the light; it's too dark in here.
• Do you know who turned the air conditioning on?

to turn off: to cause to stop functioning (also: to switch off, to shut off) (S)

Turn on and turn off, as well as their related forms, are used for things that flow, such as electricity, water, gas, etc.

• Please turn off the light when you leave the room.
• Are you really listening to the radio, or should I turn it off?

right away: very soon; immediately (also: at once)

• Dad says that dinner will be ready right away, so we'd better wash our hands and set the table.
• Tell Will to come to my office right away. I must see him immediately.
• Stop playing that loud music at once!

to pick up: to lift form the floor, table, etc., with one's fingers (S)

• Harry picked up the newspaper that was on the front doorstep.
• Could you pick your toy up before someone falls over it?

sooner or later: eventually, after a period of time

• If you study English seriously, sooner or later you'll become fluent.
• I'm too tired to do my homework now; I'm sure I'll do it sooner or later.

to get up: to arise, to rise from a bed; to make someone arise (S)

For the last definition a noun phrase must separate the verb and particle.

• Carla gets up at seven o'clock every morning.
• At what time should we get the children up tomorrow?

at first: in the beginning, originally

• At first English was difficult for him, but later he made great progress.

I thought at first that it was Sheila calling, but then I realized that it was Betty.