We use this expression to show how something is changing. This expression has the same meaning as “becoming”, but “getting” is more casual and used more when speaking.
Subject + be verb + getting + adjective…
- I am getting tired.
- She is getting angry.
- The weather is getting nicer these days.
- This book is getting good.
- We are getting nervous about our presentation.
- We are getting excited about our trip next week.
We can also use comparative adjectives. These emphasize that the change is continuing over a period of time.
- The weather is getting colder.
(=The weather is getting cold.) - My English is getting better because I study a lot these days.
- The price of milk is getting less expensive.
- I think that my English is getting worse! What is happening!
- This game is getting exciting!
We can repeat the adjective twice to emphasize that something is continuing. We use this a lot to talk about trends.
- The quality of the food here is getting worse and worse.
- He is lifting weights a lot these days. He is getting bigger and bigger.
- They are getting friendlier and friendlier.
Repeat the word “more” or “less” with comparatives that use these words.
- She is getting more and more interested in yoga.
- The problem is getting more and more complicated.
- She is getting less and less responsible every month.
It is also common to use this pattern with the present perfect tense.
- It has been getting warmer these days.
- His skills have been getting better.
- She has been getting more pessimistic lately.
Bonus Tips and Points
1. It is also common to use this similar sentence pattern. This shows that something or somebody is just beginning to change.
Subject + be verb + starting to get + adjective…
- The pizza is starting to get cold.
- My math class is starting to get hard.
- They are starting to get bored with English.
- Mark is starting to get annoyed with Sally’s excuses.
2. Remember that we cannot use “getting” with nouns. We need to use “becoming + noun”.
- She is becoming tired.
- She is getting tired.
- He is becoming a nice guy.
He is getting a nice guy.
3. Here are some examples of questions.
- Is milk getting more expensive these days?
- Are we getting closer to the hotel?
- Why are people getting angry?
Real-World English Conversations
A) Why are housing prices getting so expensive?
B) I don’t know, but my co-worker says that there is a real estate bubble.
A) I am getting tired. Can we go home now?
B) Of course. Let’s go.
A) She is getting better at English.
B) I know. She studies all day every day.
A) We are getting annoyed at Bill.
B) Why is that?
A) He keeps rescheduling our meeting. We are not making any progress on this project because of him.
A) I am getting sick of waiting. Do you want to go to a different restaurant?
B) We have already waited for 20 minutes. Let’s just wait.
Study these free English lessons to improve your English speaking. If you learn these common sentence patterns well, then your English speaking will improve greatly and you will be able to have fluent conversations in English in the near future! Study the lessons well, practice using them at home and in real life, and make sure to come back to review the material so you do not forget.
English Sentence Patterns for Speaking Index
