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I can't understand the what does followings it mean. What is the role of "get" there? Why we don't use "to"?

get started - to start
get confident - to be confident
get married - to be marry

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  • "Get" doesn't replace "to". You can say "I need to get started", "I want to get married", with "to get". You can also use "get" without "to", as in "I could get started", "I will get married".
    – rjpond
    Nov 13, 2020 at 20:54
  • I actually wonder the "get". There is a lot of mean. What does it mean there? Why we didn't use "to"?
    – user123960
    Nov 14, 2020 at 11:40

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This usage of “to get [adj]” is roughly equivalent to “to become [adj]”.

In the case where the adjective matches the -ed form of a verb that indicates a change of state (such as “to start”, “to marry”), it is also roughly equivalent to that verb, but with more of a focus on the change itself rather than the end result.

However, sometimes the adjective isn’t like that (such as “confident”), and there is no simpler way to say it.

Note that “to get (or become) confident” is not the same as “to be confident” because that adjective (at least by itself) doesn’t denote a change of state.

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  • Thank you. I can't understand last sentence still. Perhaps I don't know difference between become and be.
    – user123960
    Nov 14, 2020 at 10:48
  • @user123960 Your last or mine?
    – StephenS
    Nov 14, 2020 at 13:48
  • Your last sentence.
    – user123960
    Nov 14, 2020 at 14:14

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