ENGLISH
REFERENCE

get used to sth

phr. v..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to become familiar with something so that it no longer feels strange or difficult. You use this when you are in the process of adapting to a new situation.

phr. v.. to undergo a process of habituation or adaptation to a stimulus or environment. This structure functions as a dynamic phrasal verb where 'used to' acts as an adjectival complement followed by a prepositional 'to'.


SIMPLE

I am slowly getting used to the cold weather.

CONTEXTUAL

It took me a few months to get used to driving on the left side of the road.

COMPLEX

The workforce struggled to get used to the rigorous new safety protocols implemented by the incoming management team.

Particles
used to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
get + used + to + object
Usage

The word 'to' is a preposition here, so it must be followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form).

Teaching tip

Contrast this with 'be used to' (the state of being accustomed) and 'used to' (past habits); emphasize that 'get' indicates the transition or process of change.

Pitfall

I am getting used to wake up early.I am getting used to waking up early.Because 'to' is a preposition in this phrase, you must use the -ing form of the verb.

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