Whenever I wrote the word “get” in essays or compositions at primary school, my teachers used to put angry red lines under it, or accusing circles around it. Whenever one of my students misses an opportunity to use the word “get”, I do the same.
Why does the sight of the word “get” in students’ work provoke fury in English school-teachers, but satisfaction in EFL teachers? For the simple reason that when we use “get” liberally in our writing, we are writing the way most English people speak. In the case of native English students, this might show a lack of imagination or creativity; in the case of foreign learners of English, it indicates something elusive and precious: an understanding of the idioms and rhythms of informal English.
Maybe things have changed now, but 40 years ago informal English was something my teachers couldn't stand. I remember that one in particular, Mrs. Bath, used to accuse students who offended her, with hatred in her eyes, of being “casual.” Of course, informal, “casual” English is the variety that you will meet most often on your travels, in conversation both with native speakers and other foreign learners, in e-mails, in posts on Facebook and other websites: even in a situation – such as University – which you might associate with the idea of more formal English, you will find that most of the communication that occurs, even between you and your teachers, is informal in character, and we can identify students who feel really at home with the English language by their mastery of the “lazy” habits of informal English, which tends to favour Anglo-Saxon/Old Norse-based vocabulary over Latin-based words; which is full of the dreaded phrasal verbs; and which uses the verb “get” at every opportunity.
So, where Mrs. Bath would have insisted on
“I rose from my bed, dressed myself, prepared to leave the house, boarded the bus, and arrived at work on time. When I saw that my colleagues, with whom I have a very good relationship, had bought me a birthday present, and that I had received hundreds of birthday emails, I became quite emotional. I was overwhelmed by surprise at my friends' kindnesss. Later, however, while I was trying to obtain a connection on the phone to my mother, my boss told me to attend to my work.”
I would be quite happy to read the following:
“I got up, got dressed, got ready, got on the bus, and got to work on time. When I saw that my colleagues, who I get along with very well, had got me a birthday present, and that I’d got hundreds of birthday e-mails, I got quite emotional. I couldn't get over how kind my friends had been. Later, though, while I was trying to get through to my mother on the phone, my boss told me to get on with my work.”
See how many different uses of “get” you can identify in the passage above. How many of these are phrasal verbs?
Now it's your turn. Here's a dialogue, written (let's say) by Mrs. Bath, in which the word “get” has been rigorously avoided. It sounds strange. Can you use phrasal verbs and expressions with “get” to turn it into a piece of normal, informal English? The scene: Jo and Sam are on a cycling holiday.
Jo: I'm glad we've got this sat-nav system, to stop us from becoming disorientated.
Sam: Yes. Isn't it nice to escape from the noise and stress of London?
Jo: Yes! I found cycling difficult at first, but now I'm becoming accustomed to it.
Sam: Me too, but now I'm experiencing a progressive onset of tiredness.
Jo: Shall we purchase something to drink?
Sam: Good idea! Oh no! We forgot to obtain some money from the bank this morning!
Jo: No problem – I'll remove my credit card from my bag.
All answers next week...
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