ENGLISH
REFERENCE

get on with

phr. v..
B1 Intermediate Oxford British English General-service

phr. v.. to continue doing a task or activity, especially after a break; also, to have a friendly relationship with someone.

phr. v.. to proceed with a task or activity; alternatively, to maintain a harmonious relationship with another person (often synonymous with 'get along with').


SIMPLE

Stop talking and get on with your homework.

CONTEXTUAL

After the short coffee break, the team had to get on with the project to meet the deadline.

COMPLEX

Despite their differing political views, the two colleagues managed to get on with each other and maintain a productive working environment.

Particles
on with
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
get + on + with + object
Usage

when used for tasks, it is often followed by a noun or a gerund; when used for relationships, it is followed by a person.

Teaching tip

highlight the dual meaning: 'proceeding with work' versus 'social harmony'; note that 'get along with' is more common in American English for the social sense.

Pitfall

I get on with my work very well.I get on with my colleagues very well.while 'get on with' can mean doing work, using 'well' usually implies the social relationship sense; use 'get on with [task]' for progress.

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