Grammar-Quizzes › Verb Phrases › Verb Groups › Passive › "Get" Passives
OBSERVATION |
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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 |
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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 arranged to have a technician perform the action or service." |
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)
OBSERVATION |
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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. |
SURPRISE / OBJECTION |
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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. |
broad-side (V) – hit the side of a vehicle
*get-passives are typically unintentional actions
A PASSIVE SENTENCE |
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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)
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A CHANGING STATE |
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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.
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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.
INTENTIONAL |
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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. |
FORTUNE / FATE |
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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. |
due process (legal expression) – the applying of careful thought and consideration for justice
PLAN & COMPLETED |
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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. |
COMPLETE BY ONESELF |
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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. |
get + participle – get going, get working, get moving, get cooking
DO A JOB UNTIL COMPLETED |
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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.
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HAVE A SERVICE DO A JOB |
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We also use get to say that we have/had a service done or arranged to have something completed. Have or 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. |
BE – PASSIVE |
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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 |
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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
BE-PASSIVE |
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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 a highway patrol. |
Jim and Rita were married by her father / a Justice of the Peace / their priest. |
He was dressed¹. (1) had clothes on, (2) was wearing formal clothing He was dressed² by Dior. (worth mentioning) See By-phrases. |
GET-PASSIVE |
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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 IT IS EXCEPTIONAL INFORMATION |
He got hit. He got hit by a train. oh! |
He got caught speeding. *He got caught speeding by a highway patrol. (not worth mentioning) |
Jim and Rita got married. Jim and Rita got married by the Dalai Lama. (worth mentioning) |
He got dressed. (Implies by himself.) *He got dressed by his mother. (personal habits usually refer to self) |
*Yellow highlighting marks incorrect or not commonly used examples.
¹was dressed — ambiguous. (1) Passive: He was dressed. (someone put clothes on him); (2) Adjective: He was dressed (clothed, clothed for a special occasion) She was dressed to kill (wearing fancy clothing).
² was dressed by (designer name) — "was wearing, modeling, showing off"
ERROR |
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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.
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*Our city got founded. an intentional, not accidental action |
SOLUTION |
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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"
UNINTENTIONAL |
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AN ADVERSE / UNFORTUNATE OCCURRENCE |
"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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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.
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