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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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got disturbing

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "got disturbing" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey that something became unsettling or troubling, but it lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "The news got disturbing as more details emerged about the incident."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

OKLAHOMA CITY — Sherri Coale was a coach at nearby Norman High School in March of 1990 when she got disturbing news about the University of Oklahoma.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Wherever the early Christians entered a town the power structure got disturbed and immediately sought to convict them for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside agitators"..

News & Media

Huffington Post

By doing it in this kind of stateless bit of Britain, a port or an airport transit lounge and calling it terror, they suspend all the normal rules and I think that is why people have got disturbed by what happened on Sunday.

News & Media

The Guardian

All these things got disturbed.

News & Media

Huffington Post

It's also where cufflinks get disturbing.

News & Media

The Guardian

There would be things you get disturbed by, and this would be...."....

"If some innocent person is shot dead on the road, anyone will get disturbed and agitated," she said.

News & Media

The New York Times

"We Europeans always get disturbed when Americans engage in this kind of love affair with the Russians," she added.

News & Media

The New York Times

"I get disturbed when someone in his right mind tells me a person can't do it," he said.

"Pretty much every time a human being gets disturbed, they're sneaking in, consciously or unconsciously, a 'must'," Ellis said.

With unconventional oil, the damage tends to be higher all around — more land gets disturbed, more pollutants are produced, and more opportunities arise for contamination.

News & Media

The New Yorker
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

If you aim to use the perfect tense, ensure that "gotten disturbing" is used instead to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "got" directly followed by a present participle like 'disturbing' to indicate a change of state. This phrasing is not grammatically correct. Instead, use "became disturbing" or "turned unsettling."

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

80%

Authority and reliability

2.1/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "got disturbing" is typically intended to function as a verb phrase, indicating a process of becoming disturbing or unsettling. However, Ludwig AI notes that it is not grammatically correct in standard written English. A correct way of expressing this idea would be using "became disturbing".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "got disturbing" might seem like a straightforward way to express that something became unsettling, Ludwig AI analysis indicates it is not grammatically correct in standard written English. It's better to use alternatives like "became disturbing" or "turned unsettling" to maintain grammatical accuracy. The infrequent nature of its appearance and its grammatical status suggest avoiding it in formal contexts. The analyzed examples reveal its occasional use across news, wiki, and scientific sources, but this does not validate its correctness. Always prioritize grammatically sound options for clear communication.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically correct way to say "got disturbing"?

Alternatives include "became disturbing" or "turned disturbing", both of which are standard English phrases.

Is "gotten disturbing" correct?

Yes, "gotten disturbing" is grammatically correct, especially in American English, as it uses the past participle of "get" to express a change into a state of being disturbing.

When should I use "became disturbing" instead of "got disturbing"?

Use "became disturbing" in formal writing or whenever grammatically correct phrasing is essential. "Got disturbing" is generally considered incorrect.

What's the difference between "disturbing" and "unsettling" when replacing "got disturbing"?

"Disturbing" implies causing anxiety or disrupting peace, while "unsettling" suggests causing unease or a lack of stability. Both can work, but choose the word that best fits the specific nuance you intend to convey.

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Source & Trust

80%

Authority and reliability

2.1/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: