Causative Have and Get

Causative 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.
1) I washed my car. (have)
2) I cut my hair. (get)
3) I typed the documents. (have)
4) I fixed the washing machine. (get)
5) I cut the grass. (have)
6) I painted my bedroom. (get)
7) I repaired my fridge. (have)
8) I tidied my garden. (get)
9) I edited the article. (have)
10) I cleaned the carpets. (get)
11) I cleaned the windows. (have)
12) I checked my teeth. (get)
13) I printed the photo. (have)
14) I made the necklace. (get)
15) I delivered the furniture. (have)
16) I wrote the report. (have)
17) I repaired the roof. (get)
18) I built the shed. (get)
19) I dyed my hair. (get)
20) I sent the money. (have)
Change the sentences so that they use the structure 'have someone do something' or 'get
someone to do something'. Start with 'I'.(use infinitive without to for get)
1) The cleaner cleaned the house. (have)

2) The taxi driver collected us. (have)
3) John arrived on time. (get)
4) The mechanic fixed the brakes. (have)
5) The teacher explained the lesson. (have)
6) My husband looked after our children. (get)
7) The waiter brought some water. (have)
8) The nurse took your temperature. (have)
9) The students stopped sleeping in class. (get)
10) The teenagers went to bed early. (get)
11) The dentist cleaned my teeth. (have)
12) My friend took her car. (get)
13) The window cleaner washed the windows. (have)
14) The toddler ate her vegetables. (get)
15) The teacher checked my writing. (get)
16) The secretary typed the report. (have)
17) The shop assistant gave me a discount. (get)
18) The shop delivered the food. (have)
19) The children did their homework. (get)
20) My colleague helped me write the report. (get)
How to Use 'Let' and 'Make'
Subject + let + object + bare infinitive (infinitive without 'to')
'Let' can mean 'allow' or 'give permission':
 David's mother let him use her car.

 Our boss let us leave early.
We can also use 'let' to mean 'allow' in the sense of 'make something possible':
 This student card lets you book discount flights.

 You can buy a pass which lets you visit all the art galleries more cheaply.
Let's + infinitive is often used to make a suggestion:
 Let's go to the cinema tonight.

 Let's get some coffee.
(Although 'let's' is a contraction of 'let us', we don't use 'let us' in this situation). We don't use 'let' in
the passive.
Make
Subject + make + object + bare infinitive (infinitive without 'to')
'Make' can mean 'force someone to do something that he or she doesn't want to do':
 His mother made him clean his room.

 The teacher made us study very hard.
It can also be used to mean 'cause someone to do something' (the thing can be good or bad):
 That film made me cry.

 My brother often makes me laugh.
If we use 'make' in the passive, we use the infinitive with 'to' instead of the bare infinitive:
 She was made to work on Saturday, even though she hated working at weekends.
We can also use subject + make + object + adjective. This means 'cause the object to be the
adjective' (the adjective can be good or bad):
 Her story made me really happy.

 The traffic jam made us late.
Put in 'let' or 'make' in the correct form.
1) John's mother used to________________him clean up his room.
2) The teacher doesn't________________ her students use their mobile phones in class.
3) Julie's father doesn't ________________ her use his car.
4) The professor often ________________ the students do a lot of homework.
5) The policeman ________________ the teenagers pick up the litter they had dropped.
6) My mother never ________________ me stay out late when I was young.
7) The guard ________________ her get off the train because she didn't have a ticket.
8) Lucy might ________________ you borrow her laptop if you ask her nicely.
9) The comedian really ________________ us laugh last night.
10) When people are late, it ________________ me really annoyed.
11) Doing a lot of exercise ________________ me eat as many cakes as I like!.
12) The boss often ________________ us work late.
13) Joan's new job has ________________ her very happy.
14) This card ________________ you travel on any bus in the city.
15) My current job ________________ me work wherever I want.
16) Your photos ________________ me want to visit Columbia - it looks very beautiful.
17) Speaking English ________________ you communicate with lots of different people.
18) Robert doesn't ________________ his children watch TV.
19) That film ________________ me cry - it was so sad.
20) The professor ________________ us hand in our essays a day late last term.

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Causative Have and Get

Have + object + past participle (have something done)

Have someone do something (have + person + infinitive)

Finally, we can also use the construction 'get + someone + to + infinitive'.

1) The cleaner cleaned the house. (have)

'Let' can mean 'allow' or 'give permission':

 David's mother let him use her car.

 This student card lets you book discount flights.

Let's + infinitive is often used to make a suggestion:

 Let's go to the cinema tonight.

 His mother made him clean his room.

 That film made me cry.

 Her story made me really happy.

1) John's mother used to________________him clean up his room.

3) Julie's father doesn't ________________ her use his car.

4) The professor often ________________ the students do a lot of homework.

6) My mother never ________________ me stay out late when I was young.

9) The comedian really ________________ us laugh last night.

10) When people are late, it ________________ me really annoyed.

11) Doing a lot of exercise ________________ me eat as many cakes as I like!.

12) The boss often ________________ us work late.

13) Joan's new job has ________________ her very happy.

15) My current job ________________ me work wherever I want.

18) Robert doesn't ________________ his children watch TV.

19) That film ________________ me cry - it was so sad.

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