gets picked up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gets picked up" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where something or someone is collected, retrieved, or noticed, often in a casual or informal manner. Example: "The package gets picked up by the courier every Friday afternoon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The narrator gets picked up by a fancy car. 5. (0 41)—FCC (f***).

Stanford University

"The way it gets picked up is hard for us to control," Mr. Kahn said.

The New York Times

Versus being in a nice car that gets picked up, and you just immediately go there.

Harvard Business Review

Those who work in offices often forget how much gets picked up by osmosis.

The New York Times

That point gets picked up by Derek Kolluri at 2AM Theatre.

The Guardian

If a presentation gets picked up, the hedged bet doesn't end up saving money, he adds.

The New York Times - Magazine

A form of pre-verse, pre-poetry, that then gets picked up by writers.

The Guardian

Later she doubles over, clutching her stomach, and the gesture gets picked up by the rest of the women.

The New York Times - Arts

And if Square gets picked up by larger retailers, larger payments may make up a large share of its business.

The New York Times

"It makes your nervous system do what it does, and it gets picked up with our equipment".

The New York Times - Arts

Mayors develop job programmes, build affordable housing, catalyse pre-school education and ensure the garbage gets picked up.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "gets picked up" in your writing, ensure the context clearly indicates who or what is doing the picking. For example, "The signal gets picked up by the antenna" is more precise than "The signal gets picked up."

Common error

Avoid overuse of "gets picked up" in passive constructions, as it can make your writing sound less direct. Consider using active voice where appropriate for a more impactful sentence, such as changing "The trash gets picked up by the truck" to "The truck picks up the trash".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gets picked up" functions as a phrasal verb in the passive voice. It indicates that a subject is the recipient of the action of being picked or selected. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically sound and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Academia

12%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "gets picked up" is a grammatically correct and very commonly used phrasal verb that functions in the passive voice. It is widely employed across various contexts, particularly in news and media, and to a lesser extent in academic and formal settings. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is versatile and understandable, though writers should be mindful of overusing passive constructions and consider more direct active voice alternatives when appropriate. The phrase effectively conveys the idea of something being collected, selected, or noticed, making it a useful component of English vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is selected

Uses a passive voice to convey the action of being chosen.

is chosen

Focuses on the act of selection from a set of options.

is received

Emphasizes the act of obtaining or getting something.

is collected

Highlights the action of gathering or accumulating something.

is taken up

Suggests adoption or acceptance of an idea or initiative.

is noticed

Focuses on the act of becoming visible or recognized.

is retrieved

Highlights the act of recovering something.

is gathered

Implies the act of bringing things together.

is obtained

Stresses the process of acquiring something.

is adopted

Implies acceptance and implementation.

FAQs

What does "gets picked up" mean?

The phrase "gets picked up" generally means that something or someone is collected, chosen, or noticed. It can refer to physical objects being retrieved, signals being received, or ideas being adopted.

What can I say instead of "gets picked up"?

You can use alternatives like "is selected", "is chosen", or "is received" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "gets picked up" in formal writing?

While "gets picked up" is commonly used and grammatically correct, it may be more appropriate to use a more formal alternative like "is retrieved" or "is collected" in formal writing.

How is "gets picked up" different from "got picked up"?

"Gets picked up" is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing or habitual action. "Got picked up" is in the past tense, indicating a completed action in the past.