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Meaning trap

get around

travel locally

to move from place to place in a town, city, or area, especially using different types of transport.

phrasal verbB1common

Don't mix these meanings

Same phrase, different job.

travel locally

to move from place to place in a town, city, or area, especially using different types of transport.

get around (avoid a problem)

Another meaning of 'get around' is 'avoid a problem'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.

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Hear it in context

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

  • In London, it's easy to get around by bus or underground.travel
  • When I was studying abroad, I found it quite simple to get around because the public transport system was very efficient.IELTS speaking

Fix the pattern

Pattern: get around (somewhere)

WrongIt's easy to get around in the city by foot.

RightIt's easy to get around the city on foot.

'On foot', not 'by foot'; and 'get around the city' (no 'in').

Patternget around (somewhere)

Use it right

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff It is easy to navigate the city using public transportation.

Natural It's easy to get around the city on public transport.

'Get around' is the natural verb for moving about a place; 'navigate using public transportation' is heavy.

Build natural chunks

Words that usually travel with it.

  • get around + by means
    on footby busby bikeeasily

Don't confuse it

'Get around' is about moving within a place, while 'get to' means arriving at a destination.

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