CAUSATIVE VERBS
Causative verbs express an action which is caused to happen. In other words, when I have something done for me I cause it to happen. In other words, I do not actually do anything, but ask someone else to do it for me. This is the sense of causative verbs. Causative verbs in English: Make, Let, Have and Get.
Causative # 1– HAVE/GET
SOMETHING DONE
This means that
someone does something for you because you pay or ask them to do it, but you
don’t say who this person is.
Examples
|
HAVE / GET |
SOMETHING |
DONE |
|
He
had / got |
his
hair |
cut |
|
She
didn’t have / get |
her
teeth |
checked. |
|
I
had / got |
the
leak in the roof |
fixed |
|
Did
you have / get |
the
TV |
repaired? |
Causative # 2– HAVE SOMEONE DO SOMETHING
This means that
someone does something for you because you pay or ask them to do it, but you
also say who this person is.
Examples
|
HAVE |
SOMEONE |
DO
SOMETHING |
|
The
teacher had |
the
students |
write
a test. |
|
I’ll
have |
my
assistant |
call
you with the details. |
|
I
had |
the
handyman |
fix
the leak. |
|
Did
you have |
the
electrician |
repair
the TV |
Causative # 3– GET SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING
This means someone does something for you because you persuade (=
encourage, tell them that you’d like them to do something) them to do it. So
this construction feels less neutral than the previous ones.
Examples
|
GET |
SOMEONE |
TO DO
SOMETHING |
|
I
(finally) got |
my kids |
to
go to bed. |
|
I
can never get |
my wife |
to
cook dinner |
|
Can
you ever get |
your sisters |
to
stop fighting? |
|
Kevin
got |
his brothers |
to
take him on an adventure |
Causative # 4 – MAKE SOMEONE DO SOMETHING
This means that you force
someone/something to do something for you.
Examples
|
MAKE |
SOMEONE/SOMETHING |
DO SOMETHING |
|
You
make |
your
hips |
sway. |
|
Don’t
make |
her
(Sarah) |
cry. |
|
The
teacher made |
him
(Peter) |
work hard. |
|
Why
do you make |
them
(your parents) |
worry so much about you? |
Causative # 5 – LET SOMEONE/SOMETHING DO SOMETHING
This means that you allow (= let, give permission to do something) someone to do something or you allow something to happen.
Examples
|
LET |
SOMEONE/SOMETHING |
DO SOMETHING |
|
She let |
the kids |
stay up past midnight |
|
I let |
the chicken |
burn in the oven |
|
Why did he let |
this |
happen? |
|
Let |
me |
go! |
Exercise
Have / Get Something Done
Change these examples into the
structure:
For example:
I cleaned my kitchen(have)→ I had
my kitchen cleaned.
|
1. |
I washed my car. (have) |
|
|
2. |
I cut my hair. (get) |
|
|
3. |
I typed the documents. (have) |
|
|
4. |
I fixed my washing machine.
(get) |
|
|
5. |
I edited the article. (have) |
|
|
6. |
I printed the photo. (have) |
|
|
7. |
I delivered the furniture.
(have) |
|
|
8. |
I wrote the report. (have) |
|
|
9. |
I sent the money. (have) |
|
|
10. |
I cleaned the carpets. (get) |
|
