（一）系動詞：

作為始動性動詞用的系動詞有get，become，come，go，grow，turn，run，wear，fall等，其特點是後面可跟形容詞。這類動詞可用于一般時态、進行時态和完成時态。最常用的始動性動詞是get，其含義等于become／come to be／begin to be。這個詞的意思是最平淡而不帶任何感情色彩的，多用于口語中，例如：

95）a．John has got tired．

b．John is now tired．

（約翰現在疲倦了。）

96）a．Everybody in the village has got up．

b．Everybody in the village is up now．

（村裡所有的人都已起床了。）

97）a．Has Jane got up yet？

b．Is Jane up yet？

（珍妮起床了嗎？）

98）a．He often gets quarrelsome when he's been drinking．

b．He often becomes quarrelsome when he's been drinking．

（當他喝上幾杯時，他常常變得愛吵架。）

99）a．Does she often get ill？

b．Does she often fall ill？

（她經常生病嗎？）

get比其它始動性動詞更多應用于進行時态，表示一種過渡的、變化的過程，例如：

100）a．It's getting dark．

b．It's becoming dark．

c．It's growing dark．

（天漸漸黑了下來。）

101）a．It's getting near tea-time．

b．It's approaching tea－time．

c．Tea－time is getting near．

d．Tea－time is approaching．

（快到吃茶點的時間了。）

102）a．Eggs are getting scarcer．

b．There are fewer and fewer eggs avail－able．

（雞蛋越來越缺了。）

如果be getting to的主語是有生命的，其含義相當于be becoming，例如：

103）a．He's getting to be quite a good violinist．

b．He's becoming quite a good violinist．

（他正成為一名相當出色的小提琴手。）

104）a．We're all getting older．

b．We're all becoming older．

c．We're all growing older．

（我們都增添年歲了。）

105）a．The children are getting to like swimming in the river．

b．The children are becoming fond of swimming in the river．

（孩子們逐漸變得愛在河裡遊泳。）

動詞詞組 get to be=become；get to know＝learn，用于一般時态，表示達到變化或認識過程的最後階段，例如：

106）a．We got to be friends．

b．We became friends．

（我們成了朋友。）

107）a．John got to be my best friend．

b．John became my best friend．

（約翰成為我最好的朋友。）

108）a．He soon got to know the wisdom of be－ing patient．

b．He soon learnt the wisdom of being patient．

（他很快懂得忍耐是明智的。）

表示“抵達”概念的get也具有始動性，詞組 get to a place＝ come to be in a place，例如：

109）a．He has got to Paris．

b．He is now in Paris．

（他已經到達巴黎。／他現在巴黎。）

110）a．He hasn't got home yet．

b．He isn't home yet．

（他還沒有回家。）

get組成的其它詞組也有始動性，例如：

111）a．They got to words and then to blows．

b．They began arguing and then fighting．

（他們開始争吵，接着就打起來。）

112）a．You must get rid of this bad habit．

b．You mustn't keep up this bad habit．

c．You can't keep up this bad habit．

（你必須根除這個惡習。／你決不可再保留這個惡習。）

become也是一個常用的系動詞，後跟形容詞，其含義等于come to be／begin to be，例如：

113）a．How did you become acquainted with the man？

b．How did you get acquainted with the man？

（你是怎麼樣同這個人認識的？）

114）a．She became suspicious of the man．

b．She grew suspicious of the man．

c．The man looked more and more suspicious to her．

（她對這個人越來越懷疑。）

115）a．She soon became accustomed to the climate．

b．She soon got accustomed to the climate．

（她不久就适應了這種氣候。）

116）a．The work is becoming more interesting to us．

b．we're becoming more interested in the work．

（我們對這個工作越來越有興趣。）

117）a．The girl became pale and thin．

b．The girl grew pale and thin．

（這個女孩變得蒼白而瘦削。）

118）a．When it became dark， he reached home．

b．When it got dark，he reached home．

c．When it grew dark，he reached home．

d．When it fell dark，he reached home．

（天入黑時他到家了。）

119）a．His mind is becoming unhinged．

b．His mind is becoming mentally ill．

（他的神智變得不正常。）

120）a．Maple leaves become rep in autumn．

b．Maple leaves turn red in autumn．

（秋天，楓葉變紅。）