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Medium: To get away with something

Medium: To get away with something

Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

This episode is medium so we’re looking at football words and phrases you need to describe what’s happening on the pitch or words and phrases fans and commentators on TV might use. There are lots of phrasal verbs to learn at this level.

Summary

Learn more football vocabulary with Premier Skills English. Each lesson in our Premier Vocabulary section looks at one football word or phrase. This lesson looks at the phrase to get away with something

You can find more lessons on the side of this page.

Transcript

Rich: Hello my name’s Rich and welcome to Premier Skills English - Premier Vocabulary.

Jack: Hi there! I’m Jack. We’re here to help you with your football English. Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. 

Rich: Don’t forget you can always find the transcript for all our podcasts on the Premier Skills English website. Premier Vocabulary has three different levels: easy, medium and hard.

Jack: This episode is medium so we’re looking at football words and phrases you need to describe what’s happening on the pitch or words and phrases fans and commentators on TV might use. There will be lots of phrasal verbs to learn at this level.


Rich: The phrase we are looking at in this episode is to get away with.

Jack: To get away with is a phrasal verb that we will see used in a general context and when talking about football.

Rich: It has a few meanings but generally to get away with is connected to doing something wrong or badly and escaping or not being punished for it.

Jack: The clearest example is probably when we speak about crime. Her’s an example:

Rich: The office was robbed last night. The thieves got away with two computers and £1000 in cash.

Jack: Here we are emphasising that the criminals literally escaped - they got away and they got away with something - money and computers - without being caught.

Rich: Here is another example related to crime:

Jack: It was a brilliant film - but I can’t believe the murderer got away with his crimes. The police missed so many clues.

Rich: Here we are emphasising that a criminal got away with murder - he did it but escaped punishment because he wasn’t caught.

Jack: To get away with murder is also a useful idiom - it means to do whatever you want and no be punished for it.

Rich: Kids get away with murder these days - parents don’t do anything. He got away with murder on the pitch today - he should have been given about three red cards.

Jack: It’s often used when we are speaking about cheating. You shouldn’t cheat because you’ll never get away with it.


Rich: Let’s look at a couple more football examples. The phrase is often used when a player makes a tackle and doesn’t get punished for it.

Jack: This is often because the referee hasn’t seen the challenge so the player gets away with it it. He gets away without getting a yellow card or a foul against him.

Rich: These days players get away with less because VAR sees a lot more of what’s happening on the pitch.

Jack: Another common way to use get away with is when a team play badly but win or don’t lose.

Rich: So it can be used when a team get lucky - they don’t play well but still win. Listen to this example:

Jack: A good result on Saturday?

Rich: A fantastic result but not a good performance. We got away with it to be honest because we deserved to lose.


Jack: There is the final whistle!

Rich: We’ll be back soon with more Premier Vocabulary from Premier Skills English.

Jack: Bye for now and enjoy your football. 

Comment

Discuss

Has your team got away with a bad result recently?

Can you think of an example when a player got away with something on the pitch?

Leave a comment

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Comments

Michaelsun
12/03/2022
CN
738
points

Yes, our team got away with bad results recently. We love the football, it’s unpredictable.


Michaelsun
12/03/2022 09:05
China
Manchester United
738

Yes, our team got away with bad results recently. We love the football, it’s unpredictable.

Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
26/05/2021
BR
1512
points

Last night, when we beat Tolima 2-1 for Sulamerican Cup with a poorly performance.
I remember when France made their qualifying to 2010 World Cup with a goal Thierry Henry scored using his hand.


Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
26/05/2021 18:51
Brazil
Arsenal
1512

Last night, when we beat Tolima 2-1 for Sulamerican Cup with a poorly performance.
I remember when France made their qualifying to 2010 World Cup with a goal Thierry Henry scored using his hand.

hsn's picture
hsn
22/11/2020
TR
5555
points

This week at the Tottenham-Manchester City match one of the Manchester City player stopped the ball by touching it then gave an assist and position resulted goal. Fortunately! He didn’t got away with it. V.A.R system catched him-:) and goal cancelled.

Players should know that many cameras shooting during the match and there is also V.A.R system. If the ball accidentally hit/touch player’s hand that is acceptable otherwise it’s an ethical matter and managers should educate player on this topic.


hsn's picture
hsn
22/11/2020 17:52
Turkey
Tottenham Hotspur
5555

This week at the Tottenham-Manchester City match one of the Manchester City player stopped the ball by touching it then gave an assist and position resulted goal. Fortunately! He didn’t got away with it. V.A.R system catched him-:) and goal cancelled.

Players should know that many cameras shooting during the match and there is also V.A.R system. If the ball accidentally hit/touch player’s hand that is acceptable otherwise it’s an ethical matter and managers should educate player on this topic.

Robert Tavares's picture
Robert Tavares
15/10/2020
BR
399
points

Hi there!

When I hear this phrasal verb I immediately remember about "How to get away with muder", a serie with Viola Davies. She's so clever!

So, in fact I would like that my team got away with bad results. We're in the relegation zone. It's so sad!

When a player touch the ball with your hand in own area and the referee doesn't make a penalty is the best exemple of got away with a penalty for him.

By for now!


Robert Tavares's picture
Robert Tavares
15/10/2020 17:56
Brazil
Leeds United
399

Hi there!

When I hear this phrasal verb I immediately remember about "How to get away with muder", a serie with Viola Davies. She's so clever!

So, in fact I would like that my team got away with bad results. We're in the relegation zone. It's so sad!

When a player touch the ball with your hand in own area and the referee doesn't make a penalty is the best exemple of got away with a penalty for him.

By for now!

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
14/10/2020
TR
6536
points

With VAR nowadays , it's unlikely to happen but last week , Martial was provoked by Lamela and both of them should have been sent off or yellow carded but Lamela got away with only a yellow card and Martial couldn't get away from the incident.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
14/10/2020 22:27
Turkey
Manchester United
6536

With VAR nowadays , it's unlikely to happen but last week , Martial was provoked by Lamela and both of them should have been sent off or yellow carded but Lamela got away with only a yellow card and Martial couldn't get away from the incident.

noeme paz's picture
noeme paz
14/10/2020
BR
1
points

Ow! Recently I got away with some clues about teaching phrasal verbos to my students in a fun way.


noeme paz's picture
noeme paz
14/10/2020 22:26
Brazil
Chelsea
1

Ow! Recently I got away with some clues about teaching phrasal verbos to my students in a fun way.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
14/10/2020
TR
6536
points

Yes , we were playing against Brighton a couple of weeks ago and they hit the post 5 times then equalised in the last minute of stoppage time. Nonetheless , we were rewarded a penalty and guess what , it was after the final whistle of the game and we got away with the win but I believe we don't deserve it to be fair.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
14/10/2020 22:17
Turkey
Manchester United
6536

Yes , we were playing against Brighton a couple of weeks ago and they hit the post 5 times then equalised in the last minute of stoppage time. Nonetheless , we were rewarded a penalty and guess what , it was after the final whistle of the game and we got away with the win but I believe we don't deserve it to be fair.

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