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Langtraveler Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
get p.p
Hello.
I've learned that...
- I got my car washed. (O)
- My car got washed. (unnatural or incorrect)
The reason why I thought the second one is unnatural is according to the following answer from other website. (I copy-and-pasted it. If there's any rule-violating behaviour, please edit my question or let me notice it. I'll edit it right away.)
(http://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/29169/the-difference-between-get-pp-and-be-pp)
"From BBC Learning English...
Get is more informal and is frequently used in speech; become is more formal and is more often used in writing. When used with adjectives, get indicatesgrowth or development and can therefore be used as the preferred alternative to become in an informal register.
There are many other constructions where "correct" (idiomatically "normal") use of get may be tricky for learners, but we're focussing here on get + adjective. Taking OP's examples plus a few more...
1: ? I got surprised to find my wife was having an affair (non-idiomatic)
2: The tree got damaged in the storm(informal version of was damaged)
3: My wife got angry when I asked her about the affair (informal version ofbecame angry)
4: ? My wife got red when I asked her about the affair (non-idiomatic version of turned red, blushed)
5: That's when things got nasty(informal version of turned nasty).
6: ? At first she got defensive and said he had seduced her (usually non-idiomatic - see below)
7: ? Finally she got tearful and begged me to forgive her (also usually non-idiomatic)
8: ? After talking for many hours, I gotsatisfied that she still loved me (always non-idiomatic)
9: But my bedtime mug of cocoa gotcold during the argument, so I was still annoyed with her"
And the sentence in question is:
- Letting his eyes get too taken in by all of the scientific equipment in the lab prevents him from noticing the man in the same room. (Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, Maria Konnikova)
Considering that answer and the first example, (My car got washed) I'm not sure the "get too taken in" part is natural or not. (Of course it must be natural because it is written by a native speaker.) Is there any measure that can judge the usage of get p.p is natural or not?
Thank you.
I've learned that...
- I got my car washed. (O)
- My car got washed. (unnatural or incorrect)
The reason why I thought the second one is unnatural is according to the following answer from other website. (I copy-and-pasted it. If there's any rule-violating behaviour, please edit my question or let me notice it. I'll edit it right away.)
(http://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/29169/the-difference-between-get-pp-and-be-pp)
"From BBC Learning English...
Get is more informal and is frequently used in speech; become is more formal and is more often used in writing. When used with adjectives, get indicatesgrowth or development and can therefore be used as the preferred alternative to become in an informal register.
There are many other constructions where "correct" (idiomatically "normal") use of get may be tricky for learners, but we're focussing here on get + adjective. Taking OP's examples plus a few more...
1: ? I got surprised to find my wife was having an affair (non-idiomatic)
2: The tree got damaged in the storm(informal version of was damaged)
3: My wife got angry when I asked her about the affair (informal version ofbecame angry)
4: ? My wife got red when I asked her about the affair (non-idiomatic version of turned red, blushed)
5: That's when things got nasty(informal version of turned nasty).
6: ? At first she got defensive and said he had seduced her (usually non-idiomatic - see below)
7: ? Finally she got tearful and begged me to forgive her (also usually non-idiomatic)
8: ? After talking for many hours, I gotsatisfied that she still loved me (always non-idiomatic)
9: But my bedtime mug of cocoa gotcold during the argument, so I was still annoyed with her"
And the sentence in question is:
- Letting his eyes get too taken in by all of the scientific equipment in the lab prevents him from noticing the man in the same room. (Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, Maria Konnikova)
Considering that answer and the first example, (My car got washed) I'm not sure the "get too taken in" part is natural or not. (Of course it must be natural because it is written by a native speaker.) Is there any measure that can judge the usage of get p.p is natural or not?
Thank you.
Top answer
Dear Langtraveler A. g. I had my hair cut this morning I got my nails manicured yesterday to have + pp is more formal.
- Dear Langtraveler A.
- g.
- I had my hair cut this morning I got my nails manicured yesterday to have + pp is more formal.
- to get + pp is less formal and more common in speech.
- B.
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6 Answers
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Dear Langtraveler
A. to have / to get + pp (passive verb form)
This is a passive verb construction used when the subject arranges for something to be done
e.g. I had my hair cut this morning
I got my nails manicured yesterday
to have + pp is more formal. to get + pp is less formal and more common in speech.
B. to be + pp
This is the way in
A. to have / to get + pp (passive verb form)
This is a passive verb construction used when the subject arranges for something to be done
e.g. I had my hair cut this morning
I got my nails manicured yesterday
to have + pp is more formal. to get + pp is less formal and more common in speech.
B. to be + pp
This is the way in
00
Thank you, Michael.
I guess in #1 and #8, "got" should be replaced with "was" and in #4, with "turned."
However, I'm not sure why "letting his eyes get too taken in" is correct.
It's not something gradual or kind of a process(which can be replaced with become or turn), neither an initial step.
May I ask further explanation?
I guess in #1 and #8, "got" should be replaced with "was" and in #4, with "turned."
However, I'm not sure why "letting his eyes get too taken in" is correct.
It's not something gradual or kind of a process(which can be replaced with become or turn), neither an initial step.
May I ask further explanation?
00
You're welcome. Sorry for not dealing with the final point.
It's a poor sentence, in my view. It looks clumsy to have "let", "get" and "taken in" all in one clause. I suppose that here the writer means that the process of being taken in was a gradual one.
I can't see the original sentence as I write this, but something like "While gradually seduced by ...." may work.
It's a poor sentence, in my view. It looks clumsy to have "let", "get" and "taken in" all in one clause. I suppose that here the writer means that the process of being taken in was a gradual one.
I can't see the original sentence as I write this, but something like "While gradually seduced by ...." may work.
00
Actually, this would be better : "His gradual enchantment by the equipment prevented him...."
I can't see how the present simple "prevents" can be correct here, though I would need to see more context to sure it is wrong.
I can't see how the present simple "prevents" can be correct here, though I would need to see more context to sure it is wrong.
00
Thank you again for your reply.
I guess the reason why the author says "prevents" is she writes the whole paragraph in present tense.
"Paying attention to one thing necessarily comes at the expense of another. Letting your eyes get too taken in by all of the scientific equipment in the lab prevents you from noticing the man in the same room. (Sorry it was "you," not "he") We cannot
I guess the reason why the author says "prevents" is she writes the whole paragraph in present tense.
"Paying attention to one thing necessarily comes at the expense of another. Letting your eyes get too taken in by all of the scientific equipment in the lab prevents you from noticing the man in the same room. (Sorry it was "you," not "he") We cannot
00
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