0

I just want to know whether the sentences below are grammatically correct or not –

His / that attitude gets me irked.

Is the use of word 'get' acceptable in such cases?

His / that attitude irks me.

Also, if correct, are these two sentences the same in meaning?

Improve this question
5
  • You should chose between "His" and "that", i.e. "His attitude..." or "That attitude...". Don't use both.
    – KillingTime
    Commented May 26, 2022 at 9:50
  • 1
    Get in this context is rather informal, rather than ungrammatical. Makes me [adjective] would be a more formal way to say it.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented May 26, 2022 at 10:50
  • @KateBunting, Which one's more accurate? That Makes me annoyed or That makes me feel annoyed. Thanks!
    – Anant Shekhar
    Commented May 26, 2022 at 12:59
  • 1
    There is no effective difference between 'being annoyed' and 'feeling annoyed'.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented May 26, 2022 at 13:00
  • Get is the inchoative/causative verb for both be (I got tired = I came to be tired) and have (She got a new car = She came to have a new car). So if something causes you to become irked, you get irked, and you are irked.
    – John Lawler
    Commented May 26, 2022 at 15:23

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

'Get someone [adjective, perhaps modified]' is part of an object-orientated resultative construction:

  • These people really get me annoyed.
  • Swimming also gets me really tired.
  • That kind of behavior really gets me mad.
  • The [lousy] service gets me annoyed every time.
  • I can't backcomb and it gets me annoyed.
  • What really gets me mad is that you aren't allowed to play football.
  • It gets me down when a client is a no show.
  • It gets me all fired up when I think about it.

(All from the internet; corrected where appropriate.)

Some of these use it-clefts which would be awkward to rephrase, and one uses 'it' for 'this [fact]' [gets me annoyed].

But as with many strings using 'get', there are levels of informality which many would consider better avoided in formal contexts. 'Make' is often a convenient more formal replacement:

  • These people really make me annoyed.

But 'mad', 'all fired up' are even less formal anyway, and 'It makes me down' isn't idiomatic.

Your example sentences are grammatical if in an informal register.

Improve this answer
1
  • Thank you for your detailed answer!
    – Anant Shekhar
    Commented May 26, 2022 at 13:35

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .