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What are Get up and Wake up? The difference between Get up and Wake up

Get up and Wake up are both common phrasal verbs used in English. However, many people often confuse the meanings and usage of these two phrases. In today's article, let's explore all the relevant information about Get up and Wake up with PREP!

Differences between 2 words Get up and Wake up in English

I. What is Get up?

What is Get up? In English, Get up is pronounced as /ɡet ʌp/ and functions as a phrasal verb with the following meanings:

Meaning 1: to stand up. For example: The whole audience got up and started clapping.
Meaning 2: to wake up and get out of bed, or to tell or help someone to do this. For example: I got up at five o'clock this morning!
Meaning 3: If the wind gets up, it starts to grow stronger. For example: The storm is getting up.

Phrases and idioms associated with Get up:

Phrases and idioms associated with Get up	Meaning	Example
Get-up-and-go	energy and determination to do things	This job needs someone with a lot of get-up-and-go.
Get togged up/ out	to be or get dressed for a particular occasion or activity	My mother is getting togged up for the party.
Get up steam	if an engine gets up steam, it gradually starts to go faster if plans, beliefs, etc. get up steam, they gradually become more important and more people become interested in them	The election campaign is getting up steam.
Get somebody’s dander up	to make someone angry	Peter is always getting his friend’s dander up.
Get somebody’s back up		Simone is always getting people’s backs up.
Get (right) up somebody’s nose		I wish Jack wouldn’t gets up my nose.
Get mixed up in something	to be involved in an illegal or dishonest activity	I’d have to be crazy to get mixed up in that kind of thing.
Get mixed up with somebody	to be involved with someone who has a bad influence on you	When Richard left college he got mixed up with the wrong people.
Get up a head of steam	to become very active after starting something slowly	He's getting up a head of steam for the upcoming competition.

II. What is Wake up?

What is Wake up? In English, Wake up is pronounced as /ˈweɪk.ʌp/ and functions as a phrasal verb with the following meanings:

Meaning 1: to stop sleeping. For example: Wake up! It's nine o'clock.
Meaning 2: to become more lively and interested. For example: Wake up and listen to music!

Phrases associated with Wake up:

Phrases associated with Wake up	Meaning	Example
Wake-up call	a telephone call made according to a prior arrangement to wake the person called/ a person or thing that causes people to become fully alert to an unsatisfactory situation and to take action to remedy it.	This should be a wake-up call to everyone.
Wake up and smell the coffee	become aware of the realities of a situation, however unpleasant.	Keep an eye on your friends, who may be using you - wake up and smell the coffee!
Wake up to something	to start to understand that a situation or problem exists	It’s time you woke up to the fact that it's a tough world.

III. Differentiating Get up and Wake up

What are the differences between Get up and Wake up? Let's refer to the table below with PREP!

	Get up	Wake up
Meaning	to stand up/ to wake up and get out of bed, or to tell or help someone to do this	to stop sleeping/ to become more lively and interested
Example	Why are you still in bed? Get up! It’s late for school!	I woke up at 7am in the morning but I don't want to get out of my bed.

V. Exercises to differentiate Get up and Wake up

To better understand what Wake up and Get up mean and how to accurately differentiate these two phrasal verbs, let's complete the exercises below with PREP!

Exercise: Fill in Wake up or Get up appropriately in the blanks (conjugate the verbs if necessary)

When do you usually _______ in the morning?
I _______ at 6 am today but I didn't _______ until 6:30.
I need to _______ early tomorrow so I can prepare for my job interview.
No matter what I do, my body always _______ at 5 o'clock in the morning.
I _______ late, so I missed my bus.
Why are you still in bed? _______! We're going to be late!
I was so tired when I _______ today.
I had a stomachache last night, but it was gone when I _______ this morning.
Are you going to _______ or stay in bed all day?
What time do you have to _______ tomorrow?

Answer:

Wake up/ Get up
Woke up - Get up
Wake up
Wakes up
Woke up
Get up
Woke up
Woke up
Get up
Wake up/ Get up

PREP hopes that this article has helped you understand the definitions, usage, and differences between Get up and Wake up. Keep following PREP to stay updated with more useful English knowledge!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.