If you are going for a ride in a car, you get in the car or you get into the car.
Once you arrive at your destination, you get out of the car.
But, if you are traveling on a train, you get on the train. You can also say 'board the train.' And
once you've arrived, you get off the train. The same is true of buses and planes. You get on them.
So, why do get in or into a car but get on a bus or train? After all,
we are physically getting inside them. For English learners, this may seem
like an arbitrary distinction that you just somehow have to remember. And that's true.
But, there is a simple way to remember.
First, of course, it makes sense to say 'get on' a motorcycle or a horse. You ride on top of them
and you are not 'inside' anything. But for transportation, if you can walk inside or
on to it and EASILY stand up and walk around you say get on. If you can't, you say get in.
Once again, if you can walk onto it and easily stand up inside and walk around, you say
get on. Otherwise, you say get in.
So, get in and get out applies to the following:
A car A truck
A taxi, which is a car And, a van
Get on and get off applies to these:
A bus A train
A large boat or ship And an airplane
Now let's look closer at a truck. You cannot stand up and walk around in the cab of the truck,
the part where you drive. But, you can stand up in the back of the truck.
So, for the back part of the truck, it would be appropriate to say
'get on the truck.' Although, you could still say something like "Get in the back of the truck."
What if you're getting into a small boat like a canoe or kayak? What do you think?
You would say get in! You can't walk around in those for sure.
And, finally, if you're going to fly in a very small one or two passenger aircraft,
you would also say 'get in' because you cannot really stand up or walk-in those.
So far, this video hasn't covered all the possible meanings of get in,
get into, and get out. As are typical with phrasal verbs,
they have other more idiomatic meanings, in this case, many. Let's cover some of them briefly.
Get in and get into can refer to something, such as a train or a plane,
or someone's arrival time. What time does your plane get in? Or, when will you get into town?
They can also refer to winning a public election and becoming a member of the legislature,
etc. She was the youngest woman ever to get into the senate.
Or, to be admitted to a college or university. "I can't believe got into Cornell."
Also, to manage or be able to do something. "I got in a couple hours of language study."
To get somebody in can mean to employ someone to do some job on your house or other property.
"I got someone in to fix the fridge, finally."
Or, to use your influence to help someone be accepted into some organization,
such as a school, club, company, etc. He helped me get into Harvard.
To get the crops in or get the harvest in means to collect or
gather them. "We have to get the crops in before the weather turns."
To get into something can mean to become interested
or passionate about something. "I got into music at the age of 14."