Passive 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 himself. Maybe he paid, or asked, or persuaded the other person to do it. For
example, we can say:
 I washed my car. (This means I washed it myself).

If I paid someone to wash it, of course I can say:

 A young man washed my car.

 But, another way is to use a causative construction. So I can also say:

 I had my car washed.

In a sense, using a causative verb is similar to using a passive. The important thing is
that the car is now washed. We don't focus on who did the washing.

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 house painted.

 Rita will have her house renovated.

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 every week.

 I'll get my hair cut next week.
 He got his cell phone fixed.

An exercise to consolidate understanding of the explanations above

Follow the model: The newspaper had begun a campaign to ……. (stop race)
The newspaper had begun a campaign to have the race stopped
1. He’s going to ……have his hair cut….. ( cut hair)
2. She …had her car repiared……… (repair car ) yesterday.
 3. I …have…. just …a tooth took out….. (take out tooth)
4. I’m going …to have the report written……. (write the report) tomorrow morning.
5. You look nice. Have you ……had your hair done…..(do hair)?
6. I must …have my driving licence renewed…… (renew driving licence)
7. You can …have photograph taken……. (take photograph) here.
8. Next time, he is going …to have his kitchen painted…. (paint kitchen).

ANSWERS
1. He’s going to have his hair cut.
2. She had her car repaired yesterday.
3. I’ve just had a tooth taken out.
4. I’m going to have the report written tomorrow morning.
5. You look nice. Have you had your hair done?
6. I must have my driving licence renewed.
7. You can have your photograph taken here.
8. Next time, he is going to have the kitchen painted.