Articulate English: ‘Got’, To Be Avoided

The word ‘got’ is used to excess and children should be encouraged to avoid it wherever possible.

Its repetitive usage stunts their ability to find a more descriptive word.

It can be replaced in sentences by such words as: arrived, reached, bought, purchased, commenced, possessed, received…

Of course, they will have to learn to spell words of more than three letters! Yet, we used to manage it.

As one of our comedians quipped the other day, “The only place you’ll find a brain soon will be in a jar!”

In many instances the presence of ‘got” in a sentence is needless, like our own appendix, it serves no purpose!

The sentence: ‘Barbara has got a new car.’ can be rewritten with the omission of ‘got’, without making any change to the sentence’s meaning.

Barbara has a new car.

‘I’ve got five friends.’

becomes:  I’ve five friends. OR I have five friends.

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