Causatives : Have and Get

We use a causative verb when we want to talk about something that someone else did for us or for
another person. It means that the subject caused the action to happen, but didn’t do it themselves.
Maybe they paid, or asked, or persuaded the other person to do it. For example, we can say:- I cleaned my house. ( This means I cleaned it myself ) .
If I paid someone to clean it, of course I can say:- A cleaner cleaned my house.
But, another way is to use a causative construction. So I can also say:

– I had my house cleaned.
In a sense, using a causative verb is similar to using a passive. The important thing is that the house is
now clean. We don’t focus on who did the cleaning.

Have + object + past participle ( have something done )

We usually use ‘have something done’ when we are talking about paying someone to do something for
us. It’s often used for services. The form is ‘subject + have + object + past participle’.- I had my car washed.
– John will have his house painted.

Get + object + past participle ( get something done )

We can also use ‘subject + get + object + past participle’. This has the same meaning as ‘have’, but is
less formal.
– The students get their essays checked.
– I’ll get my hair cut next week.
– He got his washing machine fixed.

Have someone do something ( have + person + infinitive )

We can also use the construction ‘subject + have + person + infinitive’. This has a very similar
meaning to ‘have something done’, which we’ve already talked about, but this time we say who did the
thing – we talk about the person who we asked to do the thing for us.- I had the electrician look at my broken light.
– The doctor will have the nurse call the patients.
– The teacher had the students write the answers on the whiteboard.

Get someone to do something ( get + person + to + infinitive )

Finally, we can also use the construction ‘get + someone + to + infinitive’. Again, this means that you
cause the other person to do the action, maybe by paying them to do it, or by asking them to do it, or
by persuading them to do it.- She gets her son to do his homework by promising him ice cream when he’s finished.
– I got the cleaner to clean under the cupboards.

Sometimes, this construction has the feeling that we needed to convince someone to do something,
while the other constructions on this page are neutral.

Causatives

Causative Verbs In English: Let, Make, Have, Get, Help

The English verbs let, make, have, get, and help are called causative verbs because they cause something else to happen.Here are some specific examples of how causative verbs work in English sentences.

How To Use Causative Verbs In English

LET = Permit Something To Happen

Grammatical structure :

LET + PERSON / THING + VERB ( base form )

Examples:

I don’t let my kids watch violent movies.

Mary’s father won’t let her adopt a puppy because he’s allergic to dogs.

Our boss doesn’t let us eat lunch at our desks; we have to eat in the cafeteria.

Oops! I wasn’t paying attention while cooking, and I let the food burn.

Don’t let the advertising expenses surpass $1000.

Remember: The past tense of let is also let; there is no change!

Note: The verbs allow and permit are more formal ways to say “let.” However, with allow and permit, we use to + verb:

I don’t allow my kids to watch violent movies.

Our boss doesn’t permit us to eat lunch at our desks.

MAKE = Force Or Require Someone To Take An Action

Grammatical structure :

MAKE + PERSON + VERB ( base form )

Examples :

After Billy broke the neighbor’s window, his parents made him pay for it.

My ex-boyfriend loved sci-fi and made me watch every episode of his favorite show.

The teacher made all the students rewrite their papers, because the first drafts were not acceptable.

Note: When using the verbs force and require, we must use to + verb.

The school requires the students to wear uniforms.
“Require” often implies that there is a rule.

The hijacker forced the pilots to take the plane in a different direction.
“Force” often implies violence, threats, or extremely strong pressure

Causatives

HAVE = Give Someone Else The Responsibility To Do Something

Grammatical structure :

HAVE + PERSON + VERB ( base form )

HAVE + THING + PAST PARTICIPLE OF VERB

Examples of grammatical structure #1:

I’ll have my assistant call you to reschedule the appointment.

The businessman had his secretary make copies of the report.

Examples of grammatical structure #2:

I’m going to have my hair cut tomorrow.

We’re having our house painted this weekend.

Bob had his teeth whitened; his smile looks great!

My washing machine is broken; I need to have it repaired.

Note: In informal speech, we often use get in these cases:

I’m going to get my hair cut tomorrow.

We’re getting our house painted this weekend.

Bob got his teeth whitened; his smile looks great!

My washing machine is broken; I need to get it repaired.

GET = Convince/Encourage Someone To Do Something

Grammatical structure :

GET + PERSON + TO + VERB

Examples:

How can we get all the employees to arrive on time?

My husband hates housework; I can never get him to wash the dishes!

I was nervous about eating sushi, but my brother got me to try it at a Japanese restaurant.

The non-profit got a professional photographer to take photos at the event for free.

HELP = Assist Someone In Doing Something

Grammatical structure :

HELP + PERSON + VERB ( base form )

HELP + PERSON + TO + VERB

After “help,” you can use “to” or not – both ways are correct. In general, the form without “to” is more common:

He helped me carry the boxes.

He helped me to carry the boxes.

Reading before bed helps me relax.

Reading before bed helps me to relax.

Causatives