Phrasal verb
get on at
Definition
phrasal verb. to criticize someone repeatedly or complain about their behavior.
phrasal verb. to harass or nag someone through persistent criticism or complaints; typically used in British English to describe a pattern of verbal annoyance.
Examples
“My boss is always getting on at me about my desk.”
“She felt like her parents were constantly getting on at her to find a better job.”
“The supervisor continued to get on at the staff regarding minor clerical errors, despite the significant increase in overall productivity.”
Examples
simple
“My boss is always getting on at me about my desk.”
contextual
“She felt like her parents were constantly getting on at her to find a better job.”
complex
“The supervisor continued to get on at the staff regarding minor clerical errors, despite the significant increase in overall productivity.”
Usage
transitive phrasal verb requiring an object, usually a person.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'get on with' (to have a good relationship) to show how the preposition 'at' changes the direction of the action to something aggressive or critical.
Pitfall
He gets on at to me.
He gets on at me.
the object follows 'at' directly without an extra preposition.
Phrasal verb
Particles
on at
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
get + on + at + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/get-on-at