grammar - How is 'get' being used in these sentences?
What grammar structure is this?
- Bob got/had me drunk.
- She's got me spending.
- Get moving!
- Get going!
- That music gets/has me dancing!
- He had/got me stumped.
- She had/got me stoned.
Is it possible to say: She has/had me spending?
Answer
Got can be used as an auxiliary verb meaning
reach or cause to reach a specified state or condition
[with object and complement]: I need to get my hair cut
[as auxiliary verb] used with past participle to form the passive mood: the cat got drowned
[with object and past participle] cause to be treated in a specified way: get the form signed by a doctor [got met drunk; [has] got me stumped; got me stoned]
[with object and infinitive] induce or prevail upon (someone) to do something: they got her to sign the consent form
[no object, with infinitive] have the opportunity to do:he got to try out a few of these nice new cars
[no object, with present participle or infinitive] begin to be or do something, especially gradually or by chance: we got talking one evening [got me spending; get going; gets me dancing]
While have is a much used helping verb, some of your proposed constructions do work and some do not.
OK:
He had me stumped.
That music has me dancing.
She had me spending [but probably would not be used without additional modifiers, such as like a drunken sailor]
Not OK:
Bob had me drunk.
She had me stoned.
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