We use causative verbs to show that someone or something caused something to happen. Causative verbs are: get, have, make, let and help.
Here is what you need to know about the causative in English.
Try a quick quiz to practice the causative!
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! |
Causative # 6 – HELP SOMEONE (to) DO SOMETHING
This means that you help ( = assist) someone (to) do something. This structure is most often used without ‘to’.
Examples:
| HELP | SOMEONE | (to) DO SOMETHING |
| Milk can help | you | fall asleep. |
| Could you help | me | carry my bags? |
| I don’t see how this helps | them | understand the lesson. |
| Can computer games help | kids | learn to read? |
Related posts:
The Causative Quiz 1
The Causative Quiz 2
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