Get-Passives
Using a get-passive in place of a be-passive
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, in speech, we use a get-passive to express small details about a particular situation that a be-passive cannot express.
That is to say, there are some instances when a be-passive and a get-passive are not interchangeable. This page will cover some of the subtle uses of get-passives as well as some of the differences between be-passives and get-passives.
Be Passive vs. Get Passive
| BE – PASSIVE | GET – PASSIVE |
|---|---|
In a passive sentence, the focus shifts to the person or thing experiencing the action (the recipient). The person or thing doing the action (the agent) is optionally mentioned in a by-phrase. Be-passives occur with verbs that are complemented by direct objects. |
In a get passive sentence, the focus is on the person or thing receiving/ experiencing the action. Get-passives occur with dynamic verbs (not stative verbs). |
INCLUDES AN OPTIONAL BY-PHRASE MENTIONING THE AGENT OF THE ACTION 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
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RARELY INCLUDES A BY-PHRASE The window got broken. The focus is on the accidental breaking of the window..
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INCLUDES INTENTIONAL OR ININTENTIONAL ACTION The glass was shattered by a baseball. (unintentional) The glass was shattered to let out the smoke. (intentional)
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INCLUDES AN UNINTENTIONAL OR UNEXPECTED ACTION The glass got shattered. unintentional and unfortunate *The glass got shattered to let out the smoke. (intentional)
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MAY INCLUDE AN AMBIGUOUS PARTICIPLE — VERB/ ADJECTIVE Tom was frightened by the sound of breaking glass. (v.) Tom was frightened. (verb or adjective?) Test: an adjective (not a verb) can be modified by very.) |
MAY INCLUDE AN AMBIGUOUS PARTICIPLE — VERB/ ADJECTIVE Tom got frightened. "became" (frightened, worried, alarmed, carried away, frustrated) Tom got very frightened. See Participle Modifiers 2 -ed / -ing
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STATES WHAT HAPPENED (NEUTRAL) The kids were caught by Tom. |
OFTEN INDICATES A SITUATION WITH AN ADVERSE OR BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON THE SUBJECT The kids got caught. (adverse) Tom got asked to join the kids in the ball game. (possibly beneficial) |
STATES WHAT HAPPENED (NEUTRAL) Tom was married last year. (factual statement) Tom was dressed *by himself, by his mother, by a designer.
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MAY INCLUDE AN ACTION IN WHICH THE SUBJECT IS ALSO THE 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)
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STATES WHAT HAPPENED (NEUTRAL) The window was repaired. a factual statement |
MAY INDICATE A CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SUBJECT AND COMPLETED ACTION I got the window repaired. I did it myself. I got/ had the window repaired. I arranged a service to do the work. See Adjectives as Object Complements
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Related pages Pop-Q "Got Cut"
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of awkward or incorrect usage.
ambiguous – unclear, can be understood in more than one way
Get– Passive
Observation vs. Unexpected
Be-passive vs. get-passive
| STATES WHAT HAPPENED | EXPRESSES SURPRISE |
|---|---|
We use be-passives to state fact or tell what happened. |
We use use a get-passives to express that the action was unintentional (accidental) or unexpected. |
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I was hit by a driver who was texting. statement of what happened |
I got hit! unexpected, unintentional "I am a victim!" |
I was hurt by the airbag. |
I got hurt/ injured. unexpected, unintentional |
I was thrown across the car by the impact. |
I got cut off while making a turn. unexpected, unintentional |
I was broad-sided by a driver who was texting. broad-sided (v.) – hit on the side of the car |
I got bumped. (shot, chased, followed) unexpected, unintentional |
I was blamed for the accident. |
I got blamed. unexpected, unintentional |
My car was damaged by her car. |
My shirt got torn . (lost, damaged, dirty) unexpected, unintentional |
The accident was recorded by a traffic camera. intentional |
*The traffic accident got recorded. The recording on the camera was intended not accidental. |
The texting driver was issued a citation by a traffic officer. intentional |
*The other driver got issued a citation. The citation was intended. |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
BY Phrase
| BE-PASSIVE | GET-PASSIVE |
|---|---|
In a be-passive sentence, the agent is included if it adds important information. |
In a get-passive, a by-phrase is rarely added unless it adds to the unexpected or unfortunate/ fortunate nature of the action. |
He was hit by another car. The agent is usual. It doesn't add significant, important information. |
He got hit. The focus is on the unexpected event. |
He was hit by a train. This by-phrase provides unusual, important information. |
He got hit by a train. Here, the agent is mentioned because it is significant and adds to the unfortunate event. |
Common Mistake
| ERROR | FIX |
|---|---|
If we can say, "He got married," why can't we say, "He got born"? *Jason got born. COMPARE: Jason's umbilical cord got wrapped around his neck. unintentional, accidental |
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. |
*Our city got founded. an intentional, not accidental action |
Our city was founded in 1850. (a deliberate, intentional act) |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
Pop-Q "Got cut"
Get-Passive
Intentional Process vs. Fortune or Fate
Outcome is from an intentional process vs. fortune or fate
| INTENTIONAL | FORTUNE / FATE |
|---|---|
We use BE-passives to express 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. |
We use get-passives to express good or bad fortune. That is, the outcome is determined by chance or a mystical, unnamed source. While the event may seem unexpected, in most cases, the subject has some role or responsibility for the the situation such as hard work for good outcome or poor judgment for for bad outcome. (informal/ spoken use) |
RECEIVED
Use BE-passive to comment on a planned, intentional course of action. |
GOOD LUCK / FORTUNE
Use "got selected" informally to to emphasize the unexpected nature of the event. |
She was asked/ invited to make a speech. |
She got asked/ invited to make a speech. (What a surprise / honor.) |
She was taken/ sent to Hollywood. |
She got taken/ sent to Hollywood. |
She was accepted to into the Actors Guild!
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She got accepted to into the Actors Guild!
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RECEIVED DUE PROCESS
Use BE-passive to comment on a planned, intentional course of action. |
BAD LUCK / FATE
Use "got caught" informally to to emphasize the unexpected nature of the event. |
He was mixed up/ confused/ carried away/ overwhelmed. |
She got mixed up/ confused/ carried away/ overwhelmed. |
He *was lost/ was left out. *not used |
She got lost/ left out. bad luck, perhaps due to inattention |
He was drunk/ fired / expelled. |
She got drunk/ fired / expelled.
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He 
fortune (n.) – chance or luck, good or bad, and the effect that it has on your life
fate (n.) – the things that will happen to someone, especially unpleasant events (but may be used for good and bad)
BY Phrase
| BE PASSIVE | GET PASSIVE |
|---|---|
He was caught speeding by the highway patrol. |
He got caught speeding. It was unfortunate, perhaps "fate". He got caught speeding by the highway patrol. A by-phrase is not usually used with a get-passive |
Get-Passive
Organized & Carried Out
An activity or event that is carried out (to completion)
| PLAN & COMPLETE | DO IT YOURSELF |
|---|---|
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]. |
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." |
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We got married. (We arranged it) |
Mike got dressed for work. (He did it himself.) |
We got engaged. |
He got showered / bathed. |
We got invited. (pulled strings or favors) |
He got washed/ shaved. |
We got divorced. (arranged it with the lawyers) |
He got through/ done at 8 p.m. (got through = got finished) |
*Jason got born. See note. |
He got prepared. |
BY Phrase
| BE PASSIVE | GET PASSIVE |
|---|---|
Jim and Rita were married by their priest. Jim and Rita were married by her father, a Justice of the Peace. |
Jim and Rita got married (by the Dalai Lama.) |
He was dressed. (completed state; possibly an adjective)
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He got dressed. (Implies by himself.) He got dressed by his mother. Get passives normally use no "by phrase". The action is done by the same person. |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
Get + Noun + Participle
Do or Have Something Done (causative)
Take action on something until completed
| DO A JOB | HAVE A SERVICE DO A JOB |
|---|---|
We use get to say that we worked on something until it was done. The participle is more adjective than verb. See Resultive Modifiers. |
We also use get to say that we have/had a service done or arranged to have something completed. Had can also be used. |
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John got the wood chopped. (He worked until it was done.) |
We got the boxes delivered. (We called a service to do it.) |
Jack got the hedge trimmed. (He worked to completed it.) |
We got the car fixed. (We found a mechanic to do it..) |
I got the wine out of the tablecloth. (I worked to remove it.) |
I got my hair cut. (I had a barber do it.) |
She got the kids' clothing washed. (She worked to complete the washing.)
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We got the refrigerator repaired. (I arranged for a repairman to do it.) |
Content page: Adjective Complements.
Be-passive / Get-passive
Notes on Usage
Double Meaning
| BE PASSIVE | GET PASSIVE |
|---|---|
A be-passive states a fact. |
A get-passive includes subtle aspects such as being accidental vs. intentional, being adverse vs. beneficial, being done by self vs. others. Consequently, some unusual or humorous interpretations can be made. |
I was divorced last year. (statement of fact or timing) |
I got divorced. (1) adverse or beneficial depending on point of view (2) I arranged it with the lawyers (intentional)
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Jack was shot by a robber. (intentional, aimed the gun and shot) |
Jack got shot. (1) adverse, misfortune, accidental (2) he may have had a role in the matter |
An Emmy was awarded to the Nightly News. |
An Emmy got awarded to the Nightly News. (1) beneficial, good luck, (2) they may have had a role in the matter, (favors, were pulled) |
Be-Passive & Get-Passive Differences
| BE PASSIVE | GET PASSIVE |
|---|---|
Be-passives can be used with verbs expressing coginition and other states of being. Be-passives are used for intentional, deliberate, planned actions, and statements of fact. |
Get--passives are not used for intentional or deliberate actions. (Except for |
I was believed. (known, taste, love, remember, weigh and other stative verbs) |
*I got believed. a mental, cognitive state of being (not a dynamic verb) |
I was known for my ability to make 20-minute brownies in 10 minutes. |
*I got known for… not normally used with cognitive states |
Our house was built twenty years ago. (a deliberate, intentional act) |
*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 inspite of difficult circumstances.) |
Jason was born in 2007. (a deliberate, factual statement) |
*Jason got born. an intentional, not accidental event (perhaps the conception was accidental)
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*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
Resources
- Azar, Betty. Understanding and Using English Grammar. 3rd ed. 1999: NewJersey, Prentice Hall Regents. Print (11-7)
- Huddleston, Rodney and Geoffrey K. Pullum."Get-Passives."The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print. (1440)
- "get." Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, Springfield, MA: MerriamWebster, Inc.1989. Print. (p.477)
- Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. 4th ed. 2009: Oxford University Press. Print. (223.4, 223.5)
Practice
A San Francisco Experience
Decide whether to use a "be" or "get" in the passive sentence.
- Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.