was vs get
In this sentence: I was/got shocked by the news.
Why is with was and not with got? thanks.
5 Answers
I'm not sure if I can explain it properly, but if you used 'got' in that sentence, it would imply that the news had performed the action of shocking you. 'Was' implies the state of being in shock.
So using 'to get' will imply that you have received an action from that object, whereas 'to be' implies a state.
In the sentence using was, was is used as an auxiliary verb that modifies the intransitive verb form of shock. The sentence is saying that "I was disturbed (in mind or emotions) by the news." In English auxiliary verbs can be used to change the tense of the sentence:
I am shocked by the news.
I was shocked by the news.
If you were to use got, it could not be used in the same manner (as an auxiliary) and it changes the meaning of the sentence:
I got shocked.
The verb got would mean that you came into possession of a shock by way of the news. Clearly you can't come into possession of a shock, but you can be in a state of shock (which is why the need for the auxiliary be)
I think it's a question of aspect. "Was shocked" implies a long lasting effect, while "to get shocked" occurs at a certain point in time.
To "get shocked" is used in English almost exclusively to refer to an electrical shock- touching an electrically charged conductor.
"He stuck his finger in the light socket and he got shocked" last Saturday at 2:21pm.
Hi maylegoas
When you first click on answers their is a tab that says my questions that you can click on to find all of the questions that you have already asked.
En la página de las 'Respuestas' buscalo el 'tab' que dice "Mis Respuestas" (Está abajo de la frase "Preguntas de Moda"). Todos los respuestas que has preguntado están aquí en este 'tab.'
Thanks this it's very important to me, and is there a place in this web page where to put that important answers. I don't want to lost your helps.
