Ready means prepared for what's coming next. When your teacher says “get ready for the test,” she means make sure you've studied and have your pencil sharpened. When a runner crouches at the starting line, muscles tense, waiting for the gun, she's ready to explode forward.

Being ready means having the right supplies and being in the right state: mentally focused, physically prepared, equipped with what you need. A soccer goalie stays ready even when the ball is far away, because the action could shift to her end of the field in seconds. A student who comes to class ready to learn has done the homework, gotten enough sleep, and brought an alert mind.

The word also appears in phrases that signal action is about to begin. “Ready, set, go!” launches a race. “Are you ready?” asks if you're prepared for what's next. And when something is ready, it's finished and available: dinner's ready, the car is ready to drive, or your book report is ready to turn in.

Getting ready means preparing yourself. Being ready means you've done that work and now you're set for whatever comes next.