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marry and divorce

get married/divorced​

In an informal style, get married and get divorced are more common than marry and divorce when there is no object.

  • Lulu and Joe got married last week. (Lulu and Joe married … is more formal.)
  • The Robinsons are getting divorced.

In a more formal style, marry and divorce are preferred.

  • Although she had many lovers, she never married.
  • After three very unhappy years they divorced.

No preposition before object​

Before a direct object, marry and divorce are used without prepositions.

  • She married a builder. (not She married with a builder.)
  • Andrew’s going to divorce Carola.

get/be married to​

We can also use get/be married to with an object.

  • She got married to her childhood sweetheart.
  • I’ve been married to you for 25 years and I still don’t understand you.