Get

Data

• Middlesex
• data

possessive

The present perfect form of the verb "get" --> have got, has got indicates possession, filiation, and localisation, in the same way as have:

1. I have got a new umbrella.
2. I have got a husband/wife and two kids.
3. I have got a headache/cold/problem. (etc.)

In UK English: Questions and negations, like question tags, are formed with the auxiliary have:

1. Have you got a minute?
2. I haven't got time to finish this tonight.
3. You've got a minute, haven't you?

In American English: In questions have is often omitted. Negations require the auxiliary. The question tag is generally formed with "do":

1. You got a minute?
2. I haven't got time to finish this tonight.
3. You've got a minute, don't you?

Unlike have, however, it is impossible to express either future or past possession, filiation, and localisation.

1. I had (*got) a new umbrella, but I lost it.
2. I had (*got) a husband/wife, but now I'm divorced.
3. I will have (*got) a problem, if this continues.

punctual/ inceptive

• She got pregnant in May and gave birth in February. (pregnant = ADJ)
• I usually get to work before 9 and get home around 7.
• We need to get the ball rolling.
• Let's get started.
• I usually get paid on the 6th.
• She gets back late on Thursdays.

difficulty

• We got the project finished on time, but it wasn't easy!
• Its hard to get it right all the time, but we do try.
• She tried to get fired for several years, but as a civil servant that's not always easy to do.

comparative

Get, because it is a verb used when the grammatical subject is both SUBJECT and OBJECT of the action or predication, is often used with state changes and comparatives:

• It's getting easier and easier to get lost in my mailbox. I need to delete some messages!
• It's getting a bit harder to find a coin-operated public pay phone these days.
• They're getting better at calling us back when we leave a message.

causative

resume of main causatives in English

make SO/STH V,

• I made them come. (I forced them to...)

have SO/STH V/V-en,

• I had them come. (because that's just part of my power... Bwahaha!)

get SO/STH to V

• I got them to come. (because I'm persuasive... re-bwahaha!)

ask SO to V (persuade, convince, force, etc.)

• I asked them to come. (not a causative as such, because I'm not sure they're coming)

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• Get emphasizes both the difficulty and the exchange involved in imposing one's will on someone or something.

examples

• I finally got them to send me the bill.
• It's hard to get landlords to refund a damage deposit.