"It was eaten" vs "It got eaten"

Question

"It was eaten" vs "It got eaten"

Both "it got eaten" and "it was eaten" are correct phrases, but they are used in different contexts. "It got eaten" is more informal and emphasizes the action of eating, while "it was eaten" is more formal and focuses on the passive voice. The choice between them depends on the level of formality you want to convey.

Last Updated: March 23, 2024

Use "it was eaten" in formal or written contexts to indicate that something was consumed. It is more commonly used in passive voice constructions.

Examples:

The cake was eaten by the guests.
The food was eaten before I arrived.
The sandwich was eaten by someone in the office.
The fruit was eaten by the monkeys in the zoo.
The cookies were eaten by the children.

Alternatives:

it was consumed
it was devoured
it disappeared
it vanished
it was gobbled up

Use "it got eaten" in informal situations to emphasize that something was consumed. It is commonly used in spoken English.

Examples:

I left my sandwich on the table and it got eaten by someone.
The cake got eaten before the party even started.
The cookies got eaten so quickly that I didn't get to try one.
The pizza got eaten in less than five minutes.
The leftovers got eaten by the dog when no one was looking.

Alternatives:

it was consumed
it was devoured
it disappeared
it vanished
it was gobbled up

Answer 1

It was eaten

This phrase is correct and commonly used in formal contexts to indicate that something was consumed.

Answer 2

It got eaten

This phrase is correct and commonly used in informal contexts to emphasize the action of eating.

"It was eaten" vs "It got eaten"

It was eaten

It got eaten

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