get down — write down
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutraloccasional
To write something on paper or type it so you don't forget.
Say it like a native
Textbook I attempted to transcribe everything she said.
Native I tried to get it all down.
'Get it down' is the natural verb for writing fast; 'transcribe everything she said' implies formal recording.
Pattern: get sth down
In use
- I need to get your phone number down before I forget.study
- During lectures, it's important to get down the main points so you can review them later.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Did you get down it?
✓ Did you get it down?
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'get it down'.
Common collocations
get + notes + down— the details, it all down, the number, in writing
Don't confuse it
Different from 'get down to' (start doing something seriously) or 'get down' (make sad).
Related
- get down (make someone sad) — Another meaning of 'get down' is 'make someone sad'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.