Meaning trap
get at
suggest or imply
to try to say or suggest something without saying it directly.
phrasal verbB2common
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
suggest or imply
to try to say or suggest something without saying it directly.
get at (reach)
Another meaning of 'get at' is 'reach'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- I’m not sure what you’re getting at—can you explain more clearly?communication
- In the discussion, the speaker was getting at the idea that technology can sometimes make life more complicated.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: get at + something
WrongWhat do you get at?
RightWhat are you getting at?
This sense is usually in the continuous: 'what are you getting at?'.
Patternget at + something
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'What are you getting at?' is the natural spoken way to ask someone's hidden point; the formal version is stilted.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
what + getting atwhat you're getting atexactlyI seetrying to say
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'get' meaning 'understand'.
Related
- get at (reach) — Another meaning of 'get at' is 'reach'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.