Register–Specific Variations in GET–Passives: Comparing Written and Spoken English

Abstract

This study examines how verb adversity and by–phrase omission influence the use of BE– and GET–passives in English across written and spoken registers. While previous research has noted register–specific patterns in GET–passive usage, the interplay of these factors has remained underexplored. Through sentiment analysis of verb adversity, this study uses a 1.7–million–word sample from the NOW corpus and a comparable TED transcript dataset. Results show that GET–passives in written corpus are strongly associated with negative sentiment, whereas spoken contexts more often display neutral or slightly positive sentiment and show frequent by–phrase omission. These findings highlight the interaction between register and verb meaning, emphasizing the importance of teaching passive constructions with a focus on the nuanced roles of verbs and by–phrase omission across registers. (Gyeongsang National University)