Grammar-Quizzes › Verb Phrases › Verb Groups › Passive › "Get" Passives
"Get" Passives
Express circumstance or emotional response
Be-passive vs. Get-passive Summary
| OBSERVATION |
|---|
Get is sometimes used in place of be in a passive sentence. Using a get-passive instead of a be-passive is considered to be informal usage. However, there are some instances when a be-passive and a get-passive are not interchangeable. |
| AN OBSERVATION |
I was hacked by a someone. (objective, matter of fact) |
| A CHANGING STATE |
I became upset. |
| ADVERB OF OPINION + OBSERVATION |
Unfortunately, I was fooled. (good or bad luck) |
| ACTION WITH REFLEXIVE VERB |
I picked myself up. |
| HAVE / MAKE (CAUSATIVE) |
I had a technician restore my computer. (arranged a service) |
| CIRCUMSTANCE |
|---|
In speech, we use a get-passive to express small details about a particular situation that a be-passive cannot express. Below are a range of emotional responses, from unintentional actions to planned and executed actions. |
| (1) ACCIDENTAL & UNEXPECTED |
I got hacked! someone got into my computer data |
| (2) BECAME |
I got upset. (participle modifier / adj. –not a true passive) |
| (3) GOOD / BAD LUCK |
I got taken / fooled. "Poor me!" |
| (4) ARRANGE TO COMPLETE |
I got myself together. "I did it myself. I recovered." |
| (5) ARRANGED FOR IT TO HAPPEN |
I got a technician to restore my computer. "I made it happen." |
hack (V) – soil, make dirty / fowl (N) – any bird.
Also see Bare Infinitives have & make.
And see Pop-Q "Get to" (priviliege) We get to go to the zoo today.
(Azar 11-7) (Huddleston 1440) (Merriam-Webster 477) (Swan 223.4-5)
"Get" Passive
(1) Accidental and Unexpected
Be-passive vs. get-passive
| OBSERVATION |
|---|
We use a be-passives to state an observation, tell what happened. A by-phrase is optionally included. |
| UNINTENTIONAL |
I was hurt by the airbag. I was thrown by the impact. I was broad-sided by a driver. I was blamed for the accident. My car was damaged by her car. |
| INTENTIONAL |
The accident was recorded by a traffic camera. The texting driver was issued a citation by a traffic officer. |
I| SURPRISE / OBJECTION |
|---|
We use use a get-passives to express the accidental, unexpected nature of what happened. The focus is on the "victim". A by-phrase is not normally included. |
| UNINTENTIONAL |
I got hurt / injured. I got cut off while making a turn. I got bumped. (shot, chased, followed) I got blamed. My shirt got torn . (lost, damaged, dirty) |
| *INTENTIONAL |
*The traffic accident got recorded. *The other driver got issued a citation. |
Ibroad-side (V) – hit the side of a vehicle
*get-passives are typically unintentional actions
"Get" Passive / "Get" + Participle
(2) Become
Is it passive or a changing state?
| A PASSIVE SENTENCE |
|---|
Get before a past participle is often ambiguous as either a passive verb form or participial adjective. It is hard to tell the difference, especially when no by-phrase is present. |
| PASSIVE / PAST PARTICIPLE VERB FORM |
She was upset by her experience that morning. She got upset. (no by-phrase) |
She was frightened by swooping pigeons. She got frightened. (no by-phrase)
|
| A CHANGING STATE |
|---|
Get means "become" before an adjective. You can test if a participle is an adjectival (1) by placing very before it; (2) by replacing got with seemed or became. |
| ADJECTIVE / MODIFIER |
She got very upset with them. (informal) She [got, became, seemed] upset with them. |
She got very frightened. (informal) She [got, became, seemed] frightened.
|
ambiguous (Adj) – can be understood in more than one way
swoop (V) – sweep through the air, as a bird or a bat, especially down upon prey
poop (V) – shit or defecate, expel waste from the body
very – a degree adverb can only modify an adjective
static verbs – be, seem, act, appear, become, etc.
past participle – the third form of the verb, often ending in -ed, -en, -t
Also see Participial Modifiers.
"Get" Passive
(3) Fortune or Fate
Intentional Process vs. Fortune or Fate
| INTENTIONAL |
|---|
A be-passive expresses intentional actions that require thought or deliberation. That is, a committee considered the outcome, a process determined the outcome, laws (civil or social) set the outcome. |
| RECEIVED BY SELECTION PROCESS |
She was asked/ invited to make a speech. She was taken/ sent to Hollywood. She was accepted to into the Actors Guild! |
| RECEIVED DUE PROCESS / LEGAL RIGHTS |
She was caught / stopped / ticketed / cited. intentional, done with thought She was let go / was left out / he was sacked. She was fired / expelled / jailed / imprisoned. |
She | FORTUNE / FATE |
|---|
A get-passive expresses good or bad fortune: the outcome is determined by chance or an unnamed source. In most cases, the subject has some role or shares some responsibility for the matter. (informal) |
| GOOD LUCK / FORTUNE |
She got asked / invited to make a speech. (What a surprise / honor.) She got taken / sent to Hollywood. She got accepted to into the Actors Guild! |
| BAD LUCK / FATE |
She got caught / stopped / ticketed / cited. She got lost / left out. She got fired / expelled / voted off. |
She due process (legal expression) – the applying of careful thought and consideration for justice
"Get" Passive
(4) Arrange to Complete
Arrange Something vs Personal Readiness
| PLAN & COMPLETED |
|---|
In these examples, the activity is intentional. We use a get-passive to say that we organized or arranged something ourselves. The subject is often the agent of the activity or event as well. "We got engaged." [ourselves]. |
They got engaged. They got invited. (pulled strings or favors) They got separated. (arranged it with the lawyers) They got divorced. |
They | COMPLETE BY ONESELF |
|---|
We also use a get-passive when we talk about personal routine tasks. The subject is also the agent of the activity. "I got dressed," is a reflexive-like sentence equivalent to "I dressed myself." |
He got showered / bathed. He got washed/ shaved. He got through/ done at 8 p.m. He got prepared. |
Mike get + participle – get going, get working, get moving, get cooking
"Get" + Noun + Participle
(5) Do or Have Something Done (causative)
Take action on something until completed
| DO A JOB UNTIL COMPLETED |
|---|
We use get to say that we worked on something until it was done. The participle is more adjective than verb. See Adj as Complements. |
Then, he got the hedge trimmed. Next, he got the weeds out of the yard. Last, he got the dogs washed.
|
John | HAVE A SERVICE DO A JOB |
|---|
We also use get to say that we have/had a service done or arranged to have something completed. Had can also be used. |
Then, he got the wheel replaced on his cart. Next, he got the boxes recycled. Last, he got the truck repaired. |
Bill
"Get" Passive
Properties
Be vs. Get Passive Properties
| BE – PASSIVE |
|---|
In passive sentences, the focus shifts to the person(s) or thing(s) affected by the action, the recipient. The agent is mentioned in a by-phrase if important to understanding the context. |
| INCLUDES AN OPTIONAL BY-PHRASE WITH THE AGENT |
The window was broken by some kids who were playing ball. The focus is on the window. The agent(s) or cause are optionally mentioned |
| INCLUDES INTENTIONAL OR ININTENTIONAL ACTION |
The glass was shattered by a baseball. (unintentional) The glass was shattered to let out the smoke. (intentional) |
| MAY INCLUDE AN AMBIGUOUS PARTICIPLE |
Tom was frightened by the sound of breaking glass. (clearly a verb) Tom was frightened. (verb or adjective?) Tom was very frightened. (clearly an adjective) |
| STATES WHAT HAPPENED (NEUTRAL) |
The kids were caught by Tom. |
| STATES WHAT HAPPENED (NEUTRAL) |
Tom was married last year. (factual statement) Tom was dressed *by himself, by his mother, by a designer. See By-phrases. |
| STATES WHAT HAPPENED (NEUTRAL) |
The window was repaired. a factual statement |
| GET – PASSIVE |
|---|
In get passive sentences, the focus is on the person(s) or thing(s) affected by the action. Get-passives typically express unintentional, unexpected completed actions. Their use is often considered informal. |
| RARELY INCLUDES A BY-PHRASE |
The window got broken. The focus is on the accidental breaking of the window.. |
| MAY INCLUDE UNINTENTIONAL, UNEXPECTED ACTION |
The glass got shattered. unintentional and unfortunate *The glass got shattered to let out the smoke. (intentional) |
| MAY INCLUDE AN AMBIGUOUS PARTICIPLE |
Tom got frightened. "became" (frightened, worried, alarmed, carried away, frustrated) Tom appeared frightened. (Adj) See Become (testing for adjective or verb) |
| MAY EXPRESS ADVERSE / BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON SUBJ |
The kids got caught. (adverse) Tom got asked to join the kids in the ball game. (possibly beneficial) |
| MAY EXPRESS ACTION WITH SUBJ AS AGENT (REFLEXIVE) |
Tom got married. Tom had a role as the agent as well. He was part of the planning. (intentional) Tom got dressed. Tom got himself dressed. / Tom dressed himself. (intentional) |
| MAY EXPRESS CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP OF SUBJ TO ACTION |
I got the window repaired. (subject caused action to be completed) I got/ had the window repaired. See Adjectives as Object Complements |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of awkward or incorrect usage.
ambiguous – unclear, can be understood in more than one way
See Participle Modifiers 1 -ed / -ing
"Get" Passives
By phrases
| BE-PASSIVE |
|---|
A by-phrase is optionally included with a be-passive if it adds identifying, interesting or important information. See By Phrases. |
| OPTIONALLY INCLUDED IF IMPORTANT |
He was hit by another car. (optional information) |
He was caught speeding by the highway patrol. |
Jim and Rita were married by her father / a Justice of the Peace / their priest. |
He was dressed. ( ambiguous as passive or adjective) He was dressed by Dior. (formal occasion) See By-phrases. |
| GET-PASSIVE |
|---|
The subject is the focus In a get-passive. A by-phrase is rarely added unless it adds to the unexpected or unfortunate/ fortunate nature of the action. |
| RARELY INCLUDED UNLESS EXCEPTIONAL INFORMATION |
He got hit. He got hit by a train. oh! |
He got caught speeding. *He got caught speeding by the highway patrol. (unremarkable |
Jim and Rita got married. Jim and Rita got married by the Dalai Lama. |
He got dressed. (Implies by himself.) *He got dressed by his mother. |
*Yellow highlighting marks incorrect or not commonly used examples.
Common Mistakes
Errors and Solutions
Error and Solution
| ERROR |
|---|
If we can say, "He got married," why can't we say, "He got born"? *Jason got born. *Jason got spanked by the doctor to open his airway.
|
*Our city got founded. an intentional, not accidental action |
| SOLUTION |
|---|
Jason was born in 2007. Change to a be-passive because a birth is intentional, expected, even if the conception was accidental "she got pregnant". Jason was spanked by the doctor to open his airway. intentional, expected Jason's umbilical cord got/was wrapped around his neck. (unintentional, accidental, unfortunate) |
Our city was founded in 1850. (a deliberate, intentional act) |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
Pop-Q "Got cut"
Grammar Notes (Advanced)
Notes on Usage
Double Meaning
| UNINTENTIONAL |
|---|
| AN ADVERSE / UNFORTUNATE OCCURENCE |
"I got divorced." "I'm sorry to hear that." |
Jack got lost. "I hope he had a phone." |
They got invited to her party. "That's unfortunate." |
| INTENTIONAL |
|---|
| AN ARRANGED EFFORT |
"I got divorced." "Good job!" |
"Jack got lost." "Good, he's free." |
They got invited to her party. "How did they manage to do that?" |
Be-Passive & Get-Passive Differences
| BE PASSIVE |
|---|
Be-passives can be used with verbs expressing cognition and other states of being. Be-passives are used for intentional, deliberate, planned actions, and statements of fact. |
I was believed. (known, taste, love, remember, weigh and other stative verbs) |
I was known for my ability to make 20-minute brownies in 10 minutes. |
Our house was built twenty years ago. (a deliberate, intentional act) |
Jason was born in 2007. (a deliberate, factual statement) |
| GET PASSIVE |
|---|
Get--passives are not used for intentional or deliberate actions. (Except for |
*I got believed. a mental, cognitive state of being (not a dynamic verb) |
*I got known for… not normally used with cognitive states |
*Our house got built twenty years ago. an intentional, not accidental action (The sentence is possible in the context of a job organized and completed in spite of difficult circumstances.) |
*Jason got born. an intentional, not accidental event (perhaps the conception was accidental) |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
Works Cited
- Azar, Betty Schrampfer, and Stacy A. Hagen. Understanding and Using English Grammar. 4th ed., Pearson Education, 2009.
- "Embarrassed Woman." By Michael, 5 May 2013, Flickr. Licensed under CC BY 2.0. Accessed on 9 July 2017.
- Huddleston, Rodney and Geoffrey K. Pullum."Get-Passives."The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge UP, 2002.
- "get." Merriam-Webster. 2016, merriam-webster.com.
- Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. 3rd ed., Oxford UP, 2005.
Practice 1
An Experience in San Francisco
Read the Context
Blog: January 24, 2012
I was going to meet my friend in downtown San Francisco. I don't know how it happened, but I ___ lost.
I called my friend on my mobile phone and was listening to his directions, when suddenly the connection ___ lost, and I heard just the dial tone. I didn't know what to do, so I returned to my hotel.
Later that night, I received a call from my friend who told me that I ___ invited to go to a party at the Greek Embassy where he worked.
I told him I couldn't go because I ___ selected by my boss to give a presentation early in the morning, so I had a lot of work to do.
He assured me that we wouldn't be out too late, so I quickly ___ dressed and left the hotel.
Fortunately, I ___ given a map before I left the hotel. I was planning my route as I was leaving the hotel, when I almost ___ hit by a taxi.
At the embassy, I had to go through a metal detector. I ___ stopped because I had keys in my pocket.
After I ___ cleared by the security guards, I went in and joined the party.
It was a fun party. I ___ introduced to a lot of very interesting, and talented people.
A beautiful, young woman was walking by me with a glass of wine in her hand. Suddenly, she tripped on the edge of the carpet and I ___ splashed with the red wine from her glass.
The woman ___ embarrassed and apologized to me. I assured her it wasn't her fault.
I ___ cleaned up in the restroom and was able to wash off some of the wine and cover up the rest with my jacket.
Later, that night I ___ seated next to the same woman who had spilled her wine on me. We talked for a long time and had a great time.
Six months later, we ___ married.
dial tone – the initial buzz sound on a telephone that means you are not connected to any particular number
embarrassed (Adj) – cause someone to feel self-conscious, intense discomfort with oneself in front of others
get past ( phrasal verb) – go by; go around; not think about any longer
splash (V) – cause water droplets to fly up in the air
Determine whether to use a be or get in the passive sentence.
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your responses to the answers by clicking the "Check" or the "Check 1-15" button at the bottom.