Mastering ‘Get away’ for IELTS Success: Essential Phrasal Verb Guide

Understanding ‘Get away’ and Its Importance in IELTS

The phrasal verb ‘get away’ is a crucial component of the English language, especially for IELTS candidates aiming to enhance their speaking and writing skills. Its versatility and common usage make it an invaluable asset in expressing ideas fluently and naturally during the exam.

Definition and Explanation

‘Get away’ has multiple meanings depending on the context:

1. To escape or leave a place quickly
2. To go on a vacation or take a break
3. To avoid punishment or consequences
4. To manage to do something (usually used in negative sentences)

Synonyms include ‘escape’, ‘depart’, ‘flee’, or ‘take off’ depending on the specific meaning.

Usage in Context

• “The thief got away before the police arrived.” (escape)
• “We’re planning to get away for the weekend.” (go on a short vacation)
• “He always gets away with being late to work.” (avoid consequences)
• “I couldn’t get away from the office until late.” (manage to leave)

Examples of 'Get away' usage in different contexts

Grammar Analysis

‘Get away’ is a separable phrasal verb, meaning that in some cases, the object can come between ‘get’ and ‘away’:

• “I need to get away from this noise.” (not separable with prepositional phrase)
• “I need to get my work away before the deadline.” (separable with direct object)

Note that when using pronouns, they must come between ‘get’ and ‘away’:

• “I need to get it away before the deadline.”

Application in IELTS

Speaking

In the IELTS Speaking test, using ‘get away’ can demonstrate your command of idiomatic English. Here are some example responses:

Question: “Do you like to travel?”
Answer: “Absolutely! I love to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life whenever I can. Even a short weekend getaway can be refreshing.”

Question: “How do you deal with stress?”
Answer: “When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I find it helpful to get away from my usual environment. Sometimes, just a walk in nature helps me clear my mind.”

Writing

In IELTS Writing, ‘get away’ can add a natural flow to your essays, particularly in Task 2 where you might discuss social issues or personal opinions:

“Many young professionals struggle to get away from work, even during their time off, due to the constant connectivity provided by modern technology.”

Remember to use this phrasal verb judiciously in formal writing, as it’s more suitable for a conversational tone.

Related Phrasal Verbs

1. Get by /ɡet baɪ/ – to manage with difficulty
   Example: “I can barely get by on my current salary.”

2. Get over /ɡet ˈəʊvər/ – to recover from something
   Example: “It took me weeks to get over that terrible flu.”

3. Get along /ɡet əˈlɒŋ/ – to have a good relationship
   Example: “I get along well with my colleagues at work.”

4. Get through /ɡet θruː/ – to finish or complete something difficult
   Example: “I finally got through all my exams last week.”

5. Get out of /ɡet aʊt əv/ – to avoid doing something
   Example: “He’s always trying to get out of his household chores.”

Infographic of related phrasal verbs with 'get'

Practice Exercises

Fill in the Blanks

1. We’re planning to __ __ for a few days next month.
2. The suspect managed to __ __ before the police arrived.
3. I can’t __ __ from work this Friday.
4. She always __ __ with not doing her homework.
5. We need to __ __ from all this noise and confusion.
6. How did you __ __ with not paying for your ticket?
7. I’m looking forward to __ __ from it all during the holidays.
8. The cat __ __ from its owner and ran down the street.
9. We couldn’t __ __ until late because of the heavy workload.
10. The children tried to __ __ without eating their vegetables.

Sentence Transformation

1. Original: They escaped the burning building just in time.
   Rewrite: They __ __ from the burning building just in time.

2. Original: I need a vacation to relax.
   Rewrite: I need to __ __ to relax.

3. Original: He always avoids punishment for his misbehavior.
   Rewrite: He always __ __ with his misbehavior.

4. Original: We couldn’t leave the party early.
   Rewrite: We couldn’t __ __ from the party early.

5. Original: The thief fled before anyone noticed the missing jewels.
   Rewrite: The thief __ __ before anyone noticed the missing jewels.

6. Original: I’m unable to take a break from my studies this semester.
   Rewrite: I can’t __ __ from my studies this semester.

7. Original: They managed to leave work early on Friday.
   Rewrite: They __ __ from work early on Friday.

8. Original: The politician avoided answering difficult questions.
   Rewrite: The politician __ __ without answering difficult questions.

9. Original: We need to escape this noisy environment.
   Rewrite: We need to __ __ from this noisy environment.

10. Original: She always finds excuses to avoid household chores.
    Rewrite: She always finds excuses to __ __ from household chores.

Answers and Explanations

Fill in the Blanks:

1. get away
2. get away
3. get away
4. gets away
5. get away
6. get away
7. getting away
8. got away
9. get away
10. get away

Sentence Transformation:

1. got away
2. get away
3. gets away
4. get away
5. got away
6. get away
7. got away
8. got away
9. get away
10. get away

Explanations:

• In the fill-in-the-blanks exercises, ‘get away’ is used in various tenses and contexts, demonstrating its versatility.
• The sentence transformation exercises show how ‘get away’ can replace other verbs or phrases while maintaining the same meaning, which is crucial for paraphrasing in IELTS.

Memorization Tips

To remember ‘get away’ and its various meanings:

1. Visualize a person running away from something (escaping).
2. Think of packing a suitcase (going on vacation).
3. Imagine a mischievous child avoiding punishment (getting away with something).

Creating mental images for each meaning can help solidify the phrasal verb in your memory.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Mistake: Using ‘get away’ without ‘from’ when necessary.
   Correct: “I need to get away from this noise.” (Not: “I need to get away this noise.”)

2. Mistake: Confusing ‘get away’ with ‘go away’.
   Remember: ‘Get away’ often implies escaping or taking a break, while ‘go away’ simply means to leave.

3. Mistake: Using ‘get away’ in overly formal contexts.
   Solution: In formal writing, consider using more formal alternatives like ‘escape’, ‘depart’, or ‘evade’.

Conclusion

Mastering the phrasal verb ‘get away’ can significantly enhance your performance in the IELTS exam. Its versatility allows you to express various concepts naturally, from discussing vacation plans to describing how you manage stress. Remember to practice using it in different contexts and tenses to fully incorporate it into your English language toolkit. By doing so, you’ll not only improve your IELTS score but also your overall English fluency.

For more tips on using phrasal verbs effectively in IELTS, check out our guide on how to describe a place you go to get away from it all in IELTS Speaking. Additionally, for practice in describing getaway locations, visit our resources on describing a place where you like to go for a weekend getaway and describing a place where you go to get away from the city.