causative verb

Causative verb

Causative Verbs

Causative verbs show that somebody/something is indirectly responsible for an action. The subject doesn't perform the action itself, but causes someone/something else to do it instead. For example:
- Yesterday I had my hair cut.
I didn't cut my own hair, but I made someone else do it for me instead - I "caused" them to cut my hair.

Have

Have is a common causative verb. Instead of doing something ourselves, we "have" someone else do it instead. It has the following form:
The verb "to have" + object + past participle. For example:
- I had my jacket cleaned yesterday.
- Did you have your computer fixed?

Sometimes we use have as a causative verb when we intend to perform the action ourselves. For example:
- When will the report be ready? I'll do it by tomorrow morning. >>
- When will the report be ready? I'll have it done by tomorrow morning.

By using the causative the second sentence takes attention away from the doer of the action, and gives more attention to the action being done. It sounds polite and professional.

Get

Get is often used instead of have. For example:
- I got my computer fixed - I had my computer fixed. These two sentences mean the same thing.
- I got my jacket cleane. - I had my jacket cleaned. These two sentences mean the same thing.

Causative verbs are often used with negative experiences. In these situations it's more common to use have. For example:
- I had my wallet stolen. (I didn't actually cause my wallet to be stolen - someone stole my wallet from me)
- She had her window smashed.

For more information on Causative verbs see:
- http://my.netian.com/~scorpius/englishgrammar/verb/causative.htm
- http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/verbs.htm#causative
- http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/let.html

Let / Make / Have / Get

The following is a mini-tutorial on the use of the causative verbs "let," "make," "have," and "get." After you have studied the tutorial, complete the associated exercises. If you already know how to use these verbs, you can skip the explanation and go directly to the exercises.

Let

FORM

[let + person + verb]

USE

This construction means "to allow someone to do something."

Examples:

• John let me drive his new car.
• Will your parents let you go to the party?
• I don't know if my boss will let me take the day off.

Make

FORM

[make + person + verb]

USE

This construction means "to force someone to do something."

Examples:

• My teacher made me apologize for what I had said.
• Did somebody make you wear that ugly hat?
• She made her children do their homework.

Have

FORM

[have + person + verb]

USE

This construction means "to give someone the responsibility to do something."

Examples:

• Dr. Smith had his nurse take the patient's temperature.
• Please have your secretary fax me the information.
• I had the mechanic check the brakes.

Get

FORM

[get + person + to + verb]

USE

This construction usually means "to convince to do something" or "to trick someone into doing something."

Examples:

• Susie got her son to take the medicine even though it tasted terrible.
• How can parents get their children to read more?
• The government TV commercials are trying to get people to stop smoking.

Get vs. Have

Sometimes "get someone to do something" is interchangeable with "have someone do something," but these expressions do not mean exactly the same thing.

Examples:

• I got the mechanic to check my brakes.
  At first the mechanic didn't think it was necessary, but I convinced him to check the brakes.
• I had the mechanic check my brakes.
  I asked the mechanic to check the brakes.