Overusing and misusing get | Part 1

 Get is a very common verb in English, but it is not always appropriate for talking about changes. Note also alternatives to get which can improve your style.

Go, not get Go is used for changes in people’s personality, appearance and physical abilities: People go mad/bald/grey/blind/deaf. Go is often used for sudden, usually negative, changes: He was very embarrassed and his face went red. Suddenly the sky went very dark and it started to rain. Go can also be used for slower colour changes: The pages of the book had gone yellow over the years. Turn, not get Turn often collocates with colours: The sky turned gold as the sun set. When the tomatoes turn red, the farmers pick them and sell them. The news gave his mother such a shock that her hair turned white overnight.