Getting on is the move onto the vehicle. Mina boards a bus, while Lea takes her bicycle onto a ferry. When the vehicle is already clear, the noun can be left out.

The idea

For boarding, use get on the bus/train/ferry. A pronoun stays after on: get on it. The past is got on, but a question with did uses get on. Use at to identify the stop where boarding happens.

Examples

  • Mina got on the bus outside the cinema.
  • We got on the train at platform four.
  • Lea is getting on the ferry with her bicycle.
  • The bus is here; let’s get on.
  • Omar got on the wrong bus and asked the driver for help.
  • Which stop did you get on at?

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Get on the bus does not mean climb onto its roof. It describes boarding; be on the bus describes location. The usual car or taxi pattern is get in, not this public-transport pattern.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. This is our bus. Let’s get ___. (on it / it on)

    Show answer or example answer

    on it

    In the boarding meaning, it replaces the bus after on: get on it.

  2. Choose the correct option. Which stop did you ___ on at? (get / got)

    Show answer or example answer

    get

    The auxiliary did already marks the past; the main verb stays get.

  3. Choose the correct option. Mina enters the bus. She gets ___. (on / off)

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    on

    Mina enters rather than leaves the bus, so the boarding particle is on.

Use it today

Describe boarding two kinds of transport, then ask where someone boarded yesterday. Use did with get and replace one vehicle noun with it after on.