get through/pass through a door/gate

Question

Hello,Here's a sentence: "Before you pass through/get through the gate, a security guard will check your baggage." That's probably a gate at an airport. I think that the sentence is okay as long as "pass through" is used.  I don't think "get through" would make sense here, would it?  On the other hand, can we pass through/get through doors? I have never heard anyone express the idea this way. Don't we usually walk through doors? Does the following sentence sound fine to you: "When Jack passed/got through the door, he saw there was nobody in the room." The last part of my question is: If we are talking about real gates, not an airport gates, it would also be correct to walk through a gate, no?Thank you

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Gene93 I don't think "get through" would make sense here, would it?

It makes sense; it is fine. 'Pass through' is better in a more formal context.

Gene93 can we pass through/get through doors?

Yes. 'Doorway' is understood.

Gene93 Does the following sentence sound fine to you: "When Jack passed/got through the door, he saw there was nobody in the room."

Yes, that is OK.

Gene93 If we are talking about real gates, not an airport gates, it would also be correct to walk through a gate, no?

Yes; 'gateway' is again understood.

Gene93 · Answer

Thank you, Mister Micawber,
I have a few final questions. Does it matter which noun we use "gate" or "a door"? In either case the person is passing or getting through them/it. Your explanation is very clear and it gives me the idea that both verbs mean more or less the same and the only significant difference is the formality, "pass through" being the more formal verb. At the risk of sounding banal, I would say that the use of the so called magic verb "get" is not wrong, as you have pointed out. Get, however, suggests to me that "getting through" the door was not that easy. Maybe there was someone in the way, or the doorway was blocked to some extent. This is only an assumption which is not vital. I live in Europe and here, passengers usually pass through airport gateways. I don't know whether that's the case in the USA.

My last question is: A person could "walk through" or "pass through" castle, mansion, etc gates, yes? They both convey the same meaning, in my opinion.

Thank you for everything

Sijay · Answer

Hi Gene,

Gene93Does it matter which noun we use "gate" or "a door"?

It shouldn't; they are similar enough objects that most verbs you use for one could probably be used for the other.

Gene93mean more or less the same and the only significant difference is the formality, "pass through" being the more formal

I wouldn't say formal—maybe more precise, since it speaks to the motion of traveling through the gate, unlike get, which is more about arriving on the other side of the gate.

Gene93Get, however, suggests to me that "getting through" the door was not that easy.

That's possible; get is sometimes used this way, as in able to get, or managed to get. But it may simply mean reaching a point in a process regardless of how difficult it was, as in get to the end, or get to step three of the directions.

Gene93I live in Europe and here, passengers usually pass through airport gateways

That's true here in the US too, especially in official language and signs. I suspect that the phrase pass through is chosen over, say, walk through because it addresses the motion and avoids the details, so it would apply equally to, for instance:

a person who walked through;
a late person who ran through;
a baby who was carried through;
an elderly person who rolled through in a wheelchair;
a difficult child who was pulled through; etc.

Gene93A person could "walk through" or "pass through" castle, mansion, etc gates, yes?

Yes. This is the same as the first question, really. The objects are substantially the same, so the verbs you can use on them are the same.

One other appropriate verb that hasn't been mentioned here yet is simply go/went, as in

Go through the gate!
Once you go through the gate...
We went through the gate. (past tense)

I think go is the one that you're most likely to hear in casual conversation.

Hope this helps!

Gene93 · Answer

Thank you, Sijay. I have one last question for you and I sincerely hope you don't mind

. I realize that "go" is probably the most common verb, but I have failed to mention it. However, would it be odd to use "walk through"? It conveys the same idea, but does it sound natural enough to you?

Thank you

Sijay · Answer

Perfectly natural. It could depend on the context, but I can't think of an example where it would be wrong.

And don't be afraid to ask questions! If one of us can't answer, another one will.

Gene93 · Answer

I just know how annoying students can be and that includes me.

get through/pass through a door/gate

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