Hello，Teachers！ What's the meaning of this sentence?

[Harry12345]

Hello，Teachers！ What's the meaning of this sentence? Thank you!

He often got into trouble with the police.

Does it mean he often gave police a lot of trouble? If it is, How to understand "with"?:up:

 

[Rover_KE]

It means he was a habitual criminal.

The police had to arrest him frequently.

Rover

 

[AndrewTheElephant]

Re: Hello,Teachers! What's the meaning of this sentence?

Hello.

That sentence means that the police had to react to his actions almost every time (or at least very often) - by taking him to police station etc. He did something that got the police involved into reacting. That's what "with" is for.

Sounds complicated, I know, but that's the best I can do.

 

[e2e4]

/A learner/

Hello，Teachers！ What's the meaning of this sentence? Thank you!

He often got into trouble with the police.

Does it mean he often gave police a lot of trouble? If it is, How to understand "with"?:up:

I'd say

He often gets into trouble with the police.

or

He's often been getting into trouble with the police.

 

[Rover_KE]

Harry,

e2e4 has changed the tense of your sentence without explaining the reason why.

Rover

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't explain the use of "with" adequately either, but it's a commonly used expression.

He regularly gets in trouble with the police.
She frequently gets in trouble with the authorities.
My son misbehaves at school every day and is always in trouble with the headmaster (principal).

 

[e2e4]

Harry,

e2e4 has changed the tense of your sentence without explaining the reason why.

Rover

I think that the simple past tense shouldn't be used in order to describe somebody's character.
Because of that I've used the indefinite tense.
I've also used the present perfect continuous to say how he has been behaving till now.

 

[masuas]

WITH, IS A PREPOSITION. It links the subject with the police. You need it to link the illegal actions of the individual "with" the authorities, with the police. Try saying it without it.
Is like brushing your hair with a comb without teeth, is like saying,
comb your hair______teeth. You also need "without", right?

I hope that it helps.

 

[yamadew]

I think that the simple past tense shouldn't be used in order to describe somebody's character.
Because of that I've used the indefinite tense.
I've also used the present perfect continuous to say how he has been behaving till now.

I think it's OK to use single past tense to describe somebody's character bacause there is also a case where you need to describe somebody's past character.

 

[e2e4]

Were the tenses, which I used, wrong this time?
Did I make a mistake using the indefinite form?

In addition and in my opinion if the simple past was used the user should have added an adverb of time to complete the information when the subject had problems with the police and also to have the proper use of the simple past aspect. The genuine sentence had been given clear of any contest.