Get is one of those words that encapsulates the difficulties of advanced English: that one word can have many, many meanings. Well, I’t tell you all of those meanings now…but here are some of the most important.
1. ‘Get + adjective’
…means to arrive at a certain state of being. For example, if you add ‘get’ and ‘drunk’ you now have the means to describe the process of becoming drunk.
- Don’t eat more cake or you’ll get fat.
- I’m going to the beach to get a suntan.
- I’m slowly getting used to the spanish summers.
2. ‘Get + noun/pronoun’
…is a synonym of the following verbs.
-
- arrive
- catch
- buy
- obtain
- comandeer
- fetch
- recieve
- grab
- Don’t forget to get some beers on your way home.
- Get a pen and a form and fill it out.
- You’ll get a phonecall at about 6:30.
3. Get + past participle
… In advanced English you can can use ‘get + past participle’ as a substitute for ‘be’ to make a passive phrase. However, bear in mind that it’s quite informal and often used for negative things.
- El chapo got caught trying in a safe house on the border.
- All of the immigrants got stopped at the border.
4. Get + object + past participle
If you remember in unit 1 we talked about ‘having our house painted.’ You can use the same structure but with ‘get’ instead of ‘have’ to say that someone is doing something for you or to you.
- That instagram model said she’s getting her boobs done.
- I’m getting my nose pierced this week.
5. Get + person + infinitive + make / tell / persuade / ask (and others)
- I’ll get him to ask your father for more money.
- I’m gonna get Timmy to make some more pies.
