Phrasal verb
Get away with
What does 'get away with' mean?
'Get away with' means either escape consequences for wrongdoing or use a limited option that is still sufficient. For example: 'We can get away with a basic map for the walk.' Keep get, away and with together; after with, use a noun, pronoun or -ing form. In the simple past, use got; after did or a modal, use get.
Key points
- It can describe avoiding punishment for bad behaviour.
- It can also describe a practical solution that is sufficient.
- Keep get, away and with together in that order.
- Use an -ing form after with for actions.
Can you use "Get away with" yourself?
This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.
Stage 1 of 5
Understand
What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.
The full explanation
The phrasal verb 'get away with' has two distinct uses in daily English. In the first use, someone acts unfairly, breaks a rule, or makes a serious mistake, yet escapes blame, criticism, or punishment. In the second use, a speaker selects a smaller, cheaper, or less complete solution that still meets the minimum need. This second meaning involves no wrongdoing; it simply describes a practical compromise that functions well enough.
Our neighbor parked across our driveway again, and he got away with it because nobody complained.
Why it works: This sentence uses the past form 'got' to describe someone breaking a shared rule without facing any consequences.
2 more examples
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We do not have time for a full rehearsal, but we might get away with a quick ten-minute run-through.
Here the phrase expresses a practical compromise that is not ideal but will still be enough to prepare.
-
Do you think the team can get away with submitting the summary instead of the complete portfolio?
The modal verb 'can' takes the base form 'get', followed by an -ing action after the preposition 'with'.
Read the full guide
Identify Bad Behavior That Receives No Punishment
When someone breaks a rule, neglects a duty, or acts unfairly without facing any penalty, we say they get away with that action. This meaning focuses strictly on avoiding consequences, such as a formal fine, a reprimand from a supervisor, or criticism from colleagues. Notice that getting away with bad behavior does not require total secrecy. Other people often know exactly what happened, yet they choose not to enforce the rule or report the misconduct.
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The tenant played loud music past midnight and got away with it because the landlord was away.
Why it works: The tenant broke building rules, but received no reprimand or complaint.
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Several workers took long lunches all week, but they got away with it while the office manager was traveling.
Why it works: The manager's absence allowed the staff members to avoid penalties for taking extended breaks.
Your turn
Which situation best illustrates this meaning of 'get away with'?
Answer: A coworker arrives thirty minutes late to every meeting and faces no criticism from the supervisor.
Show the answer
Answer: A coworker arrives thirty minutes late to every meeting and faces no criticism from the supervisor.
The coworker breaks an established workplace expectation without receiving any disciplinary action or criticism.
Determine When a Limited Option Is Still Enough
In daily work and household tasks, speakers frequently use this phrase when an imperfect choice still produces a satisfactory outcome. This second use carries no suggestion of guilt, rule breaking, or dishonesty. Instead, the speaker evaluates whether a smaller budget, a shorter timeline, or fewer materials can manage the job. To identify this meaning, ask yourself one question: is the speaker discussing penalties for an action, or deciding whether a simpler resource will suffice?
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Our kitchen is relatively small, so we might get away with a compact refrigerator.
Why it works: The compact appliance is smaller than standard models, but it will still meet household needs.
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We can get away with a one-page summary instead of preparing a full formal slide deck.
Why it works: A short document is less thorough than a full presentation, but it is enough to satisfy the client.
This also comes up in Get back to and Grow apart.
Your turn
Why is 'We can get away with four chairs for tonight's dinner' free of any moral judgment?
Answer: It discusses whether an available quantity of furniture will be sufficient for the guests.
Show the answer
Answer: It discusses whether an available quantity of furniture will be sufficient for the guests.
The speaker is evaluating practical sufficiency rather than addressing wrongdoing, guilt, or broken rules.
Keep the Three Words Together Before an Object
The phrase 'get away with' is an inseparable three-word unit. The three words must always stay side by side in that exact sequence. You cannot place an object between 'get' and 'away', nor can you place it between 'away' and 'with'. After the preposition 'with', you must use a noun phrase, an object pronoun like 'it', or a verb ending in -ing. When you use 'it', that pronoun points back to a behavior, shortcut, or circumstance that both speakers already understand.
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The intern thought she could get away with submitting the draft two days late.
Why it works: The -ing verb 'submitting' follows 'with' directly, keeping the phrasal verb intact.
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My brother skipped his morning chores, but he did not get away with it.
Why it works: The pronoun 'it' stands after 'with' and refers directly to skipping the chores.
Your turn
Which sentence shows the correct word order and verb form?
Answer: The manager knew he could not get away with ignoring the safety report.
Show the answer
Answer: The manager knew he could not get away with ignoring the safety report.
The three words remain together in order, and the verb that follows the preposition 'with' uses the -ing form.
Use Got for Past Events and Get After Helping Verbs
When you talk about completed events in the simple past, change 'get' to 'got' for all subjects. When you form negative statements or questions with 'did', keep the base verb 'get', as in 'Did they get away with it?' or 'They did not get away with it.' The base form also follows modal verbs like can, could, might, and will. In British and Australian English, speakers use 'got' as the past participle, whereas American English frequently uses 'gotten' in perfect constructions.
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Did the delivery driver get away with parking in the loading zone this morning?
Why it works: The auxiliary verb 'did' requires the base form 'get' rather than the past form 'got'.
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They got away with using temporary badges until the security desk reopened.
Why it works: The simple past 'got' expresses a completed action in the past.
Your turn
Which sentence correctly uses the auxiliary verb 'did' in a past question?
Answer: Did the contractor get away with skipping the foundation inspection?
Show the answer
Answer: Did the contractor get away with skipping the foundation inspection?
Questions starting with the past auxiliary 'did' must use the base verb 'get', not 'got' or 'gotten'.
Distinguish Warnings from Practical Suggestions in Context
Context determines whether this phrase sounds like a firm warning or a cautious, practical suggestion. In planning discussions, speakers use modal expressions like 'we might get away with' to propose a reasonable compromise that fits the venue or budget. In contrast, stating 'you will not get away with that' directly challenges rule breaking and often carries an accusatory tone. Native speakers also use the informal exaggeration 'get away with murder' to describe someone who consistently escapes discipline for bad behavior. Be careful not to confuse 'get away with' with the shorter phrasal verb 'get away', which simply means to depart or take a vacation.
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Marcus: 'The community room only holds forty chairs, so we might get away with using this small portable speaker instead of hiring an expensive sound system.' Elena: 'That should be plenty of volume for forty people.'
Why it works: This dialogue establishes the room size, showing that the smaller speaker is a practical, sufficient choice.
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Rachel warned her coworker, 'You will not get away with taking equipment home without written approval from the office manager.'
Why it works: Here the phrase delivers a direct, confrontational warning about rule breaking, contrasting with the collaborative planning dialogue.
Your turn
How does the meaning change between 'get away' and 'get away with something'?
Answer: 'Get away' means to leave or take a vacation, while 'get away with' involves escaping consequences or managing with a limited option.
Show the answer
Answer: 'Get away' means to leave or take a vacation, while 'get away with' involves escaping consequences or managing with a limited option.
'Get away' refers to leaving or departing, whereas 'get away with' requires an object and addresses consequences or sufficiency.
Avoid Word Order Splits, Missing Prepositions, and Infinitives
Three common errors occur frequently with this phrase. First, learners sometimes split the phrase by placing pronouns in the middle, producing errors like 'get it away with'. Second, some speakers accidentally omit the preposition 'with', saying 'get away the fee'. Third, learners often use a to-infinitive instead of an -ing form after 'with'. Remember that 'with' is a preposition, and prepositions in English take gerunds rather than infinitives. Keeping these three rules in mind prevents awkward phrasing in both speaking and writing.
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The committee tried to get away with publishing an unedited draft on the website.
Why it works: The -ing verb 'publishing' is used correctly; writing 'to publish' after 'with' is incorrect.
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Do not think you can get away with it just because the hallway camera is broken.
Why it works: The pronoun 'it' sits after 'with', never between 'get' and 'away'.
Your turn
Which sentence contains an error that needs correction?
Answer: The cashier hoped to get the shortage away with by balancing the drawer later.
Show the answer
Answer: The cashier hoped to get the shortage away with by balancing the drawer later.
The noun phrase 'the shortage' splits the phrasal verb. The object must follow the complete unit: 'get away with the shortage'.
Recognize Connected Pronunciation and Sound Reductions
In natural conversation, native speakers run these three words together into a smooth sequence. The first vowel in 'away' is a weak schwa sound, causing 'get' and 'away' to sound like one continuous word. In American and Australian English, the /t/ in 'get' often sounds like a quick tap or flap between vowels, while some British speakers use a glottal stop. Furthermore, the 'th' sound in 'with' links directly into the vowel of 'it', making the phrase sound like 'ged-away-withit'.
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He thinks he will get away with it every single time.
Why it works: In fast speech, 'get away with it' sounds like a continuous four-syllable stream.
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Can we get away with three volunteers during the morning shift?
Why it works: The /t/ in 'get' connects smoothly into the weak initial vowel of 'away'.
Your turn
Why can 'get away with it' be difficult to distinguish in natural conversation?
Answer: The words link together, the initial vowel of 'away' is unstressed, and the 't' often softens between vowels.
Show the answer
Answer: The words link together, the initial vowel of 'away' is unstressed, and the 't' often softens between vowels.
Connected speech features such as vowel reduction, consonant tapping, and word linking cause the phrase to sound like a single unit.
Recall the Complete Pattern and Produce Original Sentences
To move this phrase from passive recognition into active fluency, practice building complete sentences for both meanings. When writing about bad behavior, identify the broken rule and show whether consequences occurred. When writing about limited resources, name the compromise and confirm that it works well enough for the task. Always verify that all three words remain together and that any following action takes an -ing ending. Regular deliberate practice helps make this three-word structure automatic.
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The restaurant owner tried to get away with storing meat at room temperature, but the health inspector issued a citation.
Why it works: Meaning one: an attempt to avoid punishment for breaking food safety regulations.
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We do not need a luxury van; we can easily get away with a standard sedan for our short road trip.
Why it works: Meaning two: an adequate, lower-cost option that satisfies the travel requirement.
Your turn
Which sentence successfully reconstructs the phrase from the prompt: [repair / leak / temporary patch]?
Answer: The plumber got away with using a temporary patch until replacement parts arrived.
Show the answer
Answer: The plumber got away with using a temporary patch until replacement parts arrived.
The sentence preserves the intact phrase 'got away with' followed by the gerund 'using' to describe an adequate temporary measure.
Other meanings of "get away with"
This lesson practises one meaning. You may also hear these.
Manage with something less than ideal but sufficient.
We can get away with a smaller table.
Get away with murder means repeatedly escaping criticism for bad behaviour.
That manager gets away with murder at work.
Common mistakes with "get away with"
What learners often say, what to say instead, and why.
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Not this:
The pupil got the mistake away with.Say: The pupil got away with the mistake.
Get away with is an inseparable three-word unit; the object follows with.
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Not this:
They got away with to leave early.Say: They got away with leaving early.
With is followed by an -ing form, not a to-infinitive.
-
Not this:
Did she got away with missing the meeting?Say: Did she get away with missing the meeting?
After did, use the base form get, not the past form got.
Use it naturally
How people really use “get away with”
Neutral Fine almost anywhere, at work or with friends.
Words it often goes with
- get away with itIf you take someone else's lunch, you might not get away with it.
- get away with cheatingSome players think they can get away with cheating.
- get away with usingFor this short trip, we can get away with using a small backpack.
- get away with a quickThe kitchen is fairly clean, so we can get away with a quick wipe of the counters.
What people also say
- “He got away with it.” instead of “He did something wrong and received no punishment.” Use this when the listener already knows what he did.
- “We can get away with a short break.” instead of “A short break will be sufficient for our needs.” This sounds natural when a short break is enough.
Questions about "Get away with"
Does 'get away with' always mean doing something wrong?
No. While the phrase often refers to escaping punishment for breaking rules, speakers regularly use it when a less-than-ideal solution or smaller quantity is sufficient. In those situations, no dishonesty or bad behavior is involved.
We only have an hour, but we can get away with a brief summary.
Can someone get away with something even if people know about it?
Yes. The phrase focuses on escaping consequences, not necessarily escaping detection. People in authority might be fully aware of the infraction but decide not to impose a fine, reprimand the person, or enforce the regulation.
The teacher knew Mark was texting under his desk, but he got away with it because she chose to ignore him.
Do I say 'get away with doing' or 'get away with to do'?
Always use 'get away with doing'. Because 'with' is a preposition, any verb following it directly must take the -ing gerund form. Using a to-infinitive after 'with' is ungrammatical in standard English.
She thought she could get away with submitting the report after the deadline.
Where does 'it' go in 'get away with it'?
The pronoun 'it' must always come at the very end of the three-word phrase. 'Get away with' is an inseparable phrasal verb, meaning object pronouns or nouns cannot split the words. Saying 'get it away with' is incorrect.
He skipped the required workshop, but he did not get away with it.
Is the past form 'got away with' or 'gotten away with'?
For the simple past, all varieties of English use 'got away with'. For present perfect or past perfect structures, British and Australian English typically use 'has got away with', whereas American English commonly uses 'has gotten away with'.
They got away with paying late last month.
In American English, you will often hear that someone has gotten away with an error.
Does 'You won't get away with it' sound threatening?
It often sounds direct and confrontational. In spoken conversation, this sentence functions as a strong warning or challenge. If you want a softer tone in professional settings, choose gentler phrasing such as 'Management will probably notice that'.
You will not get away with altering those figures when the auditor arrives.
Before you go
Remember this
Decide first whether the speaker is discussing rule breaking or practical sufficiency. Keep 'get', 'away', and 'with' together in that fixed sequence. Follow 'with' with a noun, pronoun, or an -ing verb. Use 'got' for completed past actions and 'get' after helping verbs like did, can, might, and will.
Stage 2 of 5
Listen
Hear it in real sentences, from short to long, and write what you hear.
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Listening 1 of 4
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- We do not have time for a full rehearsal, but we might get away with a quick ten-minute run-through.
- Do you think the team can get away with submitting the summary instead of the complete portfolio?
Read the transcript
He will not get away with breaking the quiet rules.
The speaker uses 'will not get away with' followed by an -ing verb to indicate that noise violations will be penalized.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "no(t) get": the final t in "not" may drop out before "get".
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "no(t) get": the final t in "not" may drop out before "get".
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "no(t) get": the final t in "not" may drop out before "get".
Listening 2 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
- We do not have time for a full rehearsal, but we might get away with a quick ten-minute run-through.
- Do you think the team can get away with submitting the summary instead of the complete portfolio?
Read the transcript
We can easily get away with using this smaller wrench.
Here 'get away with' indicates that a smaller tool is adequate for the task, with no moral wrongdoing implied.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "ge-taway": "get" flows straight into "away". Keep the phrase together.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "ge-taway": "get" flows straight into "away". Keep the phrase together.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- listen for "ge-taway": "get" flows straight into "away". Keep the phrase together.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 3 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
- We do not have time for a full rehearsal, but we might get away with a quick ten-minute run-through.
- Do you think the team can get away with submitting the summary instead of the complete portfolio?
Read the transcript
Since the community room has plenty of natural light, we can probably get away with simple paper tablecloths instead of ordering expensive linen.
The speaker suggests an affordable option that will be sufficient for the event, demonstrating the practical use of the phrase.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
This clip is longer. Follow the instruction above the answer field.
Listening 4 of 4
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
0:00
- We do not have time for a full rehearsal, but we might get away with a quick ten-minute run-through.
- Do you think the team can get away with submitting the summary instead of the complete portfolio?
Read the transcript
Our printing service closed early for the holiday weekend, so we could not produce the complete training handbooks that we originally planned. However, the attendees already have digital tablets, so we should easily get away with sharing a summary document on the projection screen during the morning presentation. That adjustment will save us considerable stress without lowering the overall quality of our workshop.
The speaker describes an alternative plan that will suffice despite not being the ideal first choice, illustrating the practical sufficiency meaning.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "ge-taway": the final sound of "get" joins the start of "away" with no pause.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
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Speak
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He will not get away with breaking the quiet rules.
Play the line slowly, then speak at the same time as the speaker. Copy the rhythm, not just the words.
Your turn
Say it your way
Speak for 30 to 60 seconds from memory about a soccer game in a park. A player touched the ball with their hand, but the referee missed it. Tell a friend what happened, how the players reacted, and whether you think it could happen again.
Use: got away with get away with
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Hear how someone else might say it
Yesterday, I watched a soccer game at the park with my cousin. Near the end, one player touched the ball with his hand and then scored. The referee was looking the other way, so he got away with it. The other team was really upset, and a few players asked the referee to stop the game. I understood why they were angry. I don't think players should get away with breaking the rules. Next time, another referee could help watch the game so it feels fair for everyone.
Try once more and answer this: What did the other team do after that?
Stage 4 of 5
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