Causative Verbs

Question!

Do you fix your own car?

A) Yes
B) No

If not, then who does it?

Question!

Do you cut your own

hair?
A) Yes
B) No

If not, then who does it

for you?
 What are causative verbs…?
 Causative verbs express an action which is caused to
happen.
 Causative verbs express the idea of someone causing
something to happen.
 It is used when you don’t do something, but ask,
have, get someone else to do it for you.

‫افعال سببی به افعال گفته میشود که سبب میشوند تا کاری انجام‬

‫شود یعنی کاری را که خود ما انجام داده نمی توانیم اما شخصی دیگری‬
.‫را وادار میکنیم که برای ما انجام دهد‬
#1 Make
Make means to force someone to do something.
Structure:
Subject + make + person + verb1

o My mother made me wash the dishes.

= My mother forced me to wash the dishes.
o The teacher made the students come to class on time.
= The teacher forced the students to come to class on time.
 A little more insight…
Force, require and make have the same meaning.
 Force is stronger than make.
 Require means there is a rule.
 With require and force, always put “to”.
Examples:
1. The manager requires all employees to wear uniforms.
2. Kateb University requires its students to bring their ID cards
for entry into the campus.
3. My father forced me to get up early this morning.
#2 Have
Have is used when you give someone else the
responsibility to do something for you.

There are 2 forms of causative verb “have.”

1. I had the mechanic fix my car.

2. I had my car fixed.
Structure (1):
Subject + have + person + verb1

Examples:
1. I will have my students paint the classroom.
2. I had the doctor check my eyes.
3. I had my son pick up the morning newspaper.
4. The manager has his secretary copy the files.
Structure (2):
Subject + have + object + past participle

Examples:
1. I had my hair cut last night.
2. He had his car fixed a few weeks ago.
3. I had my living room painted yesterday.
Note: The second structure is usually used to mean “paid
service.”
 Can you see the difference…?

1. I had my brother paint my room.

2. I had my room painted.

In the first example, you gave the responsibility of painting

your room to your brother and your brother did it.
In the second example, you paid someone to paint your room.
#3 Get
Get is used when we convince or encourage someone to do
something for us.
Structure:
Subject + get + person + to + verb1
1. I tried to get Ali to come to the party.
= I tried to convince Ali to come to the party.
2. I got my best friend to do my homework.
= I convinced my best friend to do my homework.
#4 Let
Let means to give someone permission to do
something.
Structure:
Subject + let + person + verb1

1. I never let my students argue with each other in the class.

2. My parents didn’t let me go out yesterday.
3. Setara doesn’t want to let her best friend use her books.
 Remember…
The past form of let is itself. There’s no change.

o I let my brother play soccer last week.

o My parents let me stay in my friend’s home for the week.

o The teacher let the students cheat on the exam. That is why
some of the students were upset.
o I let him use my laptop because he had to send his boss a few
files.
Allow and permit can also be used to
mean let.
Allow and permit are more formal. Remember to
always put “to” after them.

Examples:
1. The teacher allowed the students to cheat on the exam.
2. The teacher permitted the students to cheat on the exam.
#5 Help
Help means to assist.
Structure:
(1) Subject + help + person + verb1
(2) Subject + help + person + to + verb1

Examples:
1. I helped my brother do his math homework.
2. I helped my brother to do his math homework.
1) The police made the criminal drop his gun.
2) The police had the criminal drop his gun.
3) The police got the criminal to drop his gun.

In example 1, the criminal had no choice.

In example 2, the criminal
 Exercises Time
 Make two sentences for each following terms.
(one sentence in the present, one sentence in the past)

Make Have
Get Help
Let Force