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TO GET

TO GET + direct object = to obtain, to receive, to buy: To obtain

Examples

She got her driving license last week. They got permission to live in Switzerland.

To receive

Examples

I got a letter from my friend in Nigeria. He gets $1,000 a year from his father.

To buy

Examples

She got a new coat from Zappaloni in Rome. We got a new television for the sitting room.

TO GET + place expression = reach, arrive at a place:

Examples

We got to London around 6 p.m. What time will we get there? When did you get back from New York?

TO GET + adjective = to become, show a change of state:

Examples

It's getting hotter. By the time they reached the house they were getting hungry. I'm getting tired of all this nonsense. My mother's getting old and needs looking after. It gets dark very early in the winter. Don't touch the stove until is gets cool.

TO GET + preposition / adverb is used in many phrasal verbs. Here are some of the most common ones:

Examples

Phrasal Verb get at

Meaning try to express

get away with escape punishment for a crime or bad action get by get down get off get on manage (financially) descend; depress leave a form of transport (train, bus, bicycle, plane) enter/sit on a form of transport (train, bus, bicycle, plane); have a relationship with someone; manage avoid doing something, especially a duty recover (from an illness, a surprise) use or finish the supply of something leave your bed do - usually something bad

get out of get over get through get up get up to

Examples

He got on his bicycle and rode down the street. He gets up at 6.00 a.m. every morning. She got out of the washing-up every day, even when it was her turn. We got off the train just before the bomb exploded. We've got through all the sugar - can you buy some more? The children are very quiet - I wonder what they're getting up to.

Basic form Subject + HAD + Verb (past participle form)

Quick examples
I had written the letter before you came home. If she had studied hard, she would have passed the English language exam. I wish I had been brave enough. Mary looked as if she had not slept for 48 hours.

We use the Past Perfect tense to emphasize that an action in the past finished before another action in the past started. This tense is also used in reported speech, third conditional sentences, or to show dissatisfaction with the past.

Use
1. Completed action before another action in the past 2. Third conditional sentences 3. Reported speech 4. Dissatisfaction with the past

Use 1: A completed action before another action in the past


The first use of this tense is to emphasize that one action in the past happened before another action in the past. I had finished my homework before I went playing football. John had never been to London before we went there last year.

Good to know
People (especially native speakers) do not use the Past Perfect in above sentences very often. For example, they will say: After I washed my car, I went to fill up. After I had washed my car, I went to fill up.

Rather than: This is because "after" and "before" tell the listener which action happened first. Still, keep in mind that it is better to use the Past Perfect, especially in written English or when writing exams.

Use 2: Third conditional


Use the Past Perfect with third conditional sentences. If we had gone by taxi, we wouldn't have been late. If Mary had studied harder, she would have passed the exam. This use is the so-called hypothetical past: we are talking about things that never happened. I wish I had fixed my umberella. (but I didn't)

If only I had known the answer to that question. (but I didn't)

Use 3: Reported speech


Use the Past Perfect with sentences in reported speech. Mary said she had already seen this film. He asked if I had read Harry Potter.

Use 4: Dissatisfaction with the Past


We often use the Past Perfect to show our dissatisfaction with the past. Such sentences typically start with "I wish ..." or "If only ...". I wish I had taken more food. I'm hungry now. If only I had taken more food. I'm hungry now. John looked as if he had done something terrible. She looked as though she hadn't slept all night. The Past Perfect is also used with expressions such as "as if" and "as though":

Form
To form a sentence in the Past Perfect, what you need is: 1. The proper conjugation of the auxiliary verb "to have" in the past form. 2. The Past Participle of your verb. 1. Auxiliary verb "to have" The past form of the auxiliary verb "to have" is "had": Mary had finished her homework before Mike came home. Mary has finished her homework before Mike came home. Mary hads finished her homework before Mike came home.

2. The Past Participle The past participle of a verb is a verb form that appears with the perfect tenses. The past participle can be either regular or irregular. The regular verbs are formed by adding "-ed" to the verb:

Verb

Past Participle

talk

talked

explain

explained

use

used

Verb

Past Participle

deliver

delivered

include

included

achieve

achieved

The formation of the irregular verbs does not follow one rule. Therefore, they should be memorized.

Verb

Past Participle

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be

been

be

become

become

become

see

seen

see

go

gone

go

eat

eaten

eat

grow

grown

grow

Positive Sentences

Subject

HAD

Verb (past participle form)

e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

e.g. gone, taken, done, etc.

EXAMPLES Before I went to the park, I had finished my work. If he had made the right choice, he wouldn't be unhappy now. Mary said she had already seen this movie before. I wish I had had enough courage to kiss her!

USE (CLICK TO READ)

1 2 3 4

Questions

HAD +

Subject +
e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

Verb (past participle form)


e.g. gone, taken, done, etc.

EXAMPLES Had she eaten the dinner before she went to the cinema?

USE (CLICK TO READ)

Negative Sentences

Subject +
e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

HADN'T +

Verb (past participle form)


e.g. gone, taken, done, etc.

EXAMPLES I had not seen this movie before we went to the cinema yesterday to see it. If he hadn't made the mistake, he would be happy now.

USE (CLICK TO READ)

1 2

Mary said she had not visited her father for a long time. I wish I hadn't done it!

3 4

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