“Causatives”

have/get something done

English B2
 Causatives
• The causatives are the verbs that are used to
indicate that one person causes another
person to do something for the first person.
One can cause somebody to do something for
him/her by asking, paying, requesting, or
forcing the person.
 Causative Verbs:

• Have
• Get
• Make

This kind of verbs constitutes different structures for

their sentences.
 Have
(Structure 1)

Subject + have (any tense) + object (usually

person) + base form of verb + . . . .
Examples:
• John had Alex clean the bedroom.
• He always has me do his work.
• Mary will have Alex prepare her homework.
 Structure 2:
Subject + have (any tense) + object (usually
thing) + past participle form of verb + . . . .
Examples:
• John had his car washed.
• He always has his work done.
• Mary will have her homework prepared.
 Get
Structure 1:

Subject + get (any tense) + object (usually

person) + infinitive + . . . .
Examples:
• John got Alex to clean the bedroom.
• He always gets me to do his work.
• Mary will get Alex to prepare her homework.
 Structure 2:
Subject + get (any tense) + object (usually thing)
+ past participle form of verb + . . . .

Examples:
• John got his car washed.
• He always gets his work done.
• Mary will get her homework prepared.
Change these examples into the structure ‘have + object + past
participle’ or ‘get + object + past participle’.

1. I washed my car. (have)

I had my car washed.
________________________________
2. I cut my hair. (get)
I got my hair cut.
________________________________
3. I typed the documents. (have)
_______________________________
I had the documents typed.
4. I fixed my washing machine. (get)
________________________________
I got my washing machine fixed.
5. I cut my grass. (have)
________________________________
I had my grass cut.
Choose the appropriate options to complete the sentences

A my shoes before I went into her house.

1. Sally had me ____
She said she wanted to keep the carpet clean.
A. take off B. to take off
2. I see that you have no time to clean the house on your own
so you had better get somebody ____B it for you.
A. done B. to do
3. What you should do before an emergency occurs is to get
B that will also make you feel safer.
your fire alarm ____
A. to fix B. fixed
4. She had to have her phone number _____ B because she was
receiving obscene calls from a stranger.
A. change B. changed
B
5. Her dress was too long, so she had it ____.
A. Shorten B. shortened
 A leak in the bathroom.
6. You'd better have a plumber ____ the
A. repair B. repaired

7. Instead of buying a new pair of shoes, I had my old ones ____.

A.B repair B. repaired

8. I got everyone in the family ____ Mary's birthday card before I

sent it to her. B
A. sign B. to sign

9. I didn't have any time so I had my sister ____ my

A paper last
night.
A. type B. to type

B first quatrain of the poem

10.The teacher got the students ____ the
to make it easy to memorize.
A. write B. to write