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Meaning of get

to acquire or receive.

Infinitive

Word: get /ɡɛt/
Examples:
  • 1. Every morning, she gets up at 6 a.m. to prepare for her day.
  • 2. He usually gets good grades because he studies hard.
  • 3. The cat gets nervous whenever it hears loud noises.

Past Simple

Word: got /ɡɒt/
Examples:
  • 1. I got a new book for my birthday.
  • 2. They got lost on their way to the museum.
  • 3. We got home late after the concert.

Past Participle

Word: gotten /ˈɡɒt(ə)n/
Examples:
  • 1. The work has been gotten done before the deadline.
  • 2. The document was finally gotten after a long wait.
  • 3. The keys have gotten lost again, despite our efforts to keep track of them.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual Actions. For actions that happen regularly or habits.
    Example. 'I get up at 6 a.m. every morning.'
    Example. 'The sun gets lower in the sky during the evening.'
    Example. 'She gets very busy on Mondays.'
  2. General Truths. When stating facts or general truths.
    Example. 'I get up at 6 a.m. every morning.'
    Example. 'The sun gets lower in the sky during the evening.'
    Example. 'She gets very busy on Mondays.'
  3. Permanent Situations. Describing situations that are permanent or usually the case.
    Example. 'I get up at 6 a.m. every morning.'
    Example. 'The sun gets lower in the sky during the evening.'
    Example. 'She gets very busy on Mondays.'

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past. For actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past.
    Example. 'I got home late last night.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, I got up early every day.'
    Example. 'I got up, got dressed, and then got to work yesterday morning.'
  2. Past Habits. Describing habits or routines that were true in the past but not anymore.
    Example. 'I got home late last night.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, I got up early every day.'
    Example. 'I got up, got dressed, and then got to work yesterday morning.'
  3. Sequential Actions in the Past. When listing sequences of actions in the past.
    Example. 'I got home late last night.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, I got up early every day.'
    Example. 'I got up, got dressed, and then got to work yesterday morning.'

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses.
    Example. 'I have gotten all my work done today.' (American English)
    Example. 'I have got all my work done today.' (British English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had gotten all the documents ready.' (American English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had got all the documents ready.' (British English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have gotten my degree.' (American English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have got my degree.' (British English)
    Example. 'The windows got broken during the storm.' (using 'got' as a past participle in a passive sentence)
    Example. 'I got my car fixed last week.' (American English; in British English, 'got' also works here, with slight differences in preference or usage contextually)
  2. Present Perfect. For actions that happened at an unspecified time before now or actions that started in the past and continue in the present.
    Example. 'I have gotten all my work done today.' (American English)
    Example. 'I have got all my work done today.' (British English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had gotten all the documents ready.' (American English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had got all the documents ready.' (British English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have gotten my degree.' (American English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have got my degree.' (British English)
    Example. 'The windows got broken during the storm.' (using 'got' as a past participle in a passive sentence)
    Example. 'I got my car fixed last week.' (American English; in British English, 'got' also works here, with slight differences in preference or usage contextually)
  3. Past Perfect. For actions that were completed before another action or time in the past.
    Example. 'I have gotten all my work done today.' (American English)
    Example. 'I have got all my work done today.' (British English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had gotten all the documents ready.' (American English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had got all the documents ready.' (British English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have gotten my degree.' (American English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have got my degree.' (British English)
    Example. 'The windows got broken during the storm.' (using 'got' as a past participle in a passive sentence)
    Example. 'I got my car fixed last week.' (American English; in British English, 'got' also works here, with slight differences in preference or usage contextually)
  4. Future Perfect. To specify actions that will be completed before a certain time in the future.
    Example. 'I have gotten all my work done today.' (American English)
    Example. 'I have got all my work done today.' (British English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had gotten all the documents ready.' (American English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had got all the documents ready.' (British English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have gotten my degree.' (American English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have got my degree.' (British English)
    Example. 'The windows got broken during the storm.' (using 'got' as a past participle in a passive sentence)
    Example. 'I got my car fixed last week.' (American English; in British English, 'got' also works here, with slight differences in preference or usage contextually)
  5. Passive Voice. Using the verb 'to get' to form passive voice sentences.
    Example. 'I have gotten all my work done today.' (American English)
    Example. 'I have got all my work done today.' (British English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had gotten all the documents ready.' (American English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had got all the documents ready.' (British English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have gotten my degree.' (American English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have got my degree.' (British English)
    Example. 'The windows got broken during the storm.' (using 'got' as a past participle in a passive sentence)
    Example. 'I got my car fixed last week.' (American English; in British English, 'got' also works here, with slight differences in preference or usage contextually)
  6. Causative Form. When indicating causing something to happen, especially in American English.
    Example. 'I have gotten all my work done today.' (American English)
    Example. 'I have got all my work done today.' (British English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had gotten all the documents ready.' (American English)
    Example. 'Before the meeting started, I had got all the documents ready.' (British English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have gotten my degree.' (American English)
    Example. 'By next year, I will have got my degree.' (British English)
    Example. 'The windows got broken during the storm.' (using 'got' as a past participle in a passive sentence)
    Example. 'I got my car fixed last week.' (American English; in British English, 'got' also works here, with slight differences in preference or usage contextually)

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

One of the most common mistakes when using the word 'get' is confusing its past simple form, 'got,' with its past participle form, 'gotten' (in American English; in British English, 'got' serves as both the past simple and past participle form). For example, a mistake would be saying, 'I have got a new bike' when in American English it should be, 'I have gotten a new bike' to imply acquisition. Conversely, 'I got a new bike yesterday' correctly uses the past simple to indicate a past action.

— 02

Using 'Gotten' in British English

Another frequent mistake involves the use of 'gotten' in British English. 'Gotten' is primarily used in American English as the past participle form of 'get.' In British English, 'got' is the correct form for both the past simple and past participle. An incorrect usage would be, 'I have gotten lost' in British English, whereas it should correctly be, 'I have got lost.'

— 03

Overgeneralizing

A further mistake is overgeneralizing the use of 'gotten' in contexts where 'got' is appropriate, even in American English. For instance, using 'gotten' when expressing possession rather than acquisition or change of state can be incorrect. Saying 'I've gotten a car' might imply you've recently acquired a car, not that you possess one, whereas 'I've got a car' can indicate possession without implying recent acquisition.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'get'?

The past simple form of 'get' is 'got.' It is used to describe actions that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I got a letter from an old friend.'

What is the past participle form of 'get'?

The past participle form of 'get' is 'gotten' in American English, and 'got' in British English. This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For example, in American English, you might say, 'I have gotten better at playing the piano.' In British English, it would be, 'I have got better at playing the piano.'

How do I use 'got' and 'gotten' in a sentence correctly?

To use 'got' and 'gotten' correctly, consider the dialect of English you are using or wish to emulate. In American English, you might say, 'I've gotten used to the cold weather.' In British English, the same idea would be expressed as, 'I've got used to the cold weather.' Remember, 'got' is used in both British and American English as the past simple form.

Can 'get' also mean 'become'? How would I use its past forms in this context?

Yes, 'get' can also mean 'become,' indicating a change of state. In this context, you would still use 'got' for the past simple and 'gotten' or 'got' for the past participle, depending on the dialect. For example, in American English, you might say, 'He got (or became) very angry,' for a past action, or 'He has gotten (or become) much better at speaking English,' to describe a change up to the present. In British English, the latter example would be, 'He has got (or become) much better at speaking English.'