A. We sometimes form the passive with 'get' rather than with 'be'
- We get paid monthly.
- The booklet got thrown out with the rubbish.
- The leaves were getting blown about by the wind.
** We use the passive with 'get' mainly in informal English, and it has a more limited use than 'be'. We can use it to talk about good or bad things happening to someone or something.
- Luckily I got accepted at art school.
- The flower display got vandalized.
** 'Bad things' can be accident.
- Lots of people get killed on the road, unfortunately.
- The vase got broken when we moved house.
** This pattern with 'get' can also refer to something happening incidentally, as part of a larger operation.
- The dustbin gets emptied once a week.
- Every one got moved to a new office during the reorganization.
** In simple tenses we use 'do' in negatives and questions.
- I forgot to leave the dustbin out, so it didn't get emptied.
- How often do people get injured playing rugby?
A. We also use 'get + passive participle' in some idiomatic expressions.
- We didn't even have time to get washed.
- Simon got married last year.
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