ENGLISH
REFERENCE

get married

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. To become someone's husband, wife, or legal partner in a special ceremony.

fixed phr.. To enter into the state of matrimony; a common inchoative phrase using 'get' plus a past participle to mark a change of state.


SIMPLE

They want to get married next summer.

CONTEXTUAL

After dating for five years, they decided to get married and start a family.

COMPLEX

Despite their families' long-standing objections, the couple resolved to get married in a small, private ceremony far from home.

Usage

Use 'get married to someone' for the action, and 'be married to someone' for the resulting state.

Teaching tip

Contrast 'get married' (the event) with 'be married' (the state), as in 'They got married last year, so they have been married for one year'.

Pitfall

He married with his high school sweetheart.He married his high school sweetheart.The verb 'marry' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition like 'with'.

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