get by

[vil]

Dear teachers,

This morning I studied the theme "Phrasal verbs about money". It was quite frustrating for me who have learned one-word verbs during my English studies and then am confronted with an English speaking world where people usually favor phrasal verbs in daily discourse. My attention was retained at the phrasal verb "get by" which has the following meaning "to have just enough money for your needs, managed to succeed or get only, barely succeed, move past, get approval or pass inspection".

It was a easy solution for me to grasp the meaning of the following sentence:

"He's getting by even though he only works half-time."

There wasn't a matter of some difficulty for me to understand the meaning
of another sentence:

"If he applied himself, Paul could be getting A's, but instead he's just getting by."

"If he concentrated all his effort on the learning, Paul could be getting A's, but instead he's just getting scarcely only satisfactory, failing grades."

Without apparent effort I could understand also the following sentences:

"There isn't room for this car to get by."

"I wonder if thee errors will get by the proofreading."

But I run into difficulties by th following sentence:

"He hoped the paint job would get by."

Would you be kind enough to explain to me its meaning in plain English?

Thanking you in anticipation I wish you all the best.

Regards.

V.

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by vil

Dear teachers,

This morning I studied the theme "Phrasal verbs about money". It was quite frustrating for me who have learned one-word verbs during my English studies and then am confronted with an English speaking world where people usually favor phrasal verbs in daily discourse.

That's ooooh so true, Vil. It's sad that ESLs aren't exposed to more during the learning stages of language. It's just as easy to learn a phrasal as it is a one word verb. At the least, they should be learned in tandem.

My attention was retained at the phrasal verb "get by" which has the following meaning "to have just enough money for your needs, managed to succeed or get only, barely succeed, move past, get approval or pass inspection".

It was a easy solution for me to grasp the meaning of the following sentence:

"He's getting by even though he only works half-time."

[There] It wasn't a matter of some difficulty for me to understand the meaning of another sentence:

"If he applied himself, Paul could be getting A's, but instead he's just getting by."

"If he concentrated all his effort on the learning, Paul could be getting A's, but instead he's just getting scarcely only satisfactory, failing grades."

Without apparent effort I could understand also the following sentences:

"There isn't room for this car to get by."

"I wonder if thee errors will get by the proofreading."

But I run into difficulties by th following sentence:

"He hoped the paint job would get by."

Would you be kind enough to explain to me its meaning in plain English?

Thanking you in anticipation I wish you all the best.

Regards.

V.

First let me say that this example seems a little forced, that is, not a completely natural example.

It means that the paint job isn't perfect and the speaker hopes that whoever has to approve it will not notice the defects or will allow them to pass.

[vil]

Hi riverkid,

Thank you for your prompt reply.

Thank you also for your obliging rectification.

Thank you very much for your rational explanation of that unnatural example.

I see, the speaker hopes that the all shortcomings in the painting job will left unnoticed and the inspection board will endorse the work which was done by him.

Regards.

V.

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by vil

Dear teachers,

This morning I studied the theme "Phrasal verbs about money". It was quite frustrating for me who have learned one-word verbs during my English studies and then am confronted with an English speaking world where people usually favor phrasal verbs in daily discourse. ... .

Also Vil, the use of a relative clause with 'you' as the subject [not in a grammatical sense] is a bit unnatural. Relative clauses are used to define a verb but obviously with 'me', there is no need for any further definition.

It was quite frustrating for me as I have learned one-word verbs ...

[vil]

Hi riverkid,

Thank you again for your sharp as a needle reprimand concerning the unnatural usage of "who".

Between you and me, what do you mean about the following examples?

"The man who lives next door is very friendly."

In this sentence "who" is subject of the verb in the relative clause. The man lives the next door. You cannot leave "who".

In my sentence " It was quite frustrating for me, the poor Vil, who have learned one-word verbs during my English studies and then am confronted with an English speaking world where people usually favor phrasal verbs in daily discourse.'

In this sentence "who" also is the subject of the verb in the relative clause. I am that person who learned one-words verbs. You cannot leave out "who".

When "who" is an object of the verb in in the relative clause, you can leave it out.

"The man I wanted to see was away on vacation."

"The woman Jerry is going to marry is Mexican."
( not "The woman who Jerry is going to marry is Mexican".)

I don't want to nag with you. I made a written statement of my reasonings and I'll be glad to hear your judgment.

Regards.

V.