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Understanding Causative Verbs

The document discusses five English causative verbs - have, get, let, make, and help. It provides the grammatical structures and examples of how each verb is used to cause or influence another person or thing to perform an action. Have, get, let and make are described as causing the subject to be responsible for, convince, permit, or force an action respectively. Help is described as assisting the subject to perform an action. A chart summarizing the uses of each causative verb is also included.

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Liz Worapsow
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55 views3 pages

Understanding Causative Verbs

The document discusses five English causative verbs - have, get, let, make, and help. It provides the grammatical structures and examples of how each verb is used to cause or influence another person or thing to perform an action. Have, get, let and make are described as causing the subject to be responsible for, convince, permit, or force an action respectively. Help is described as assisting the subject to perform an action. A chart summarizing the uses of each causative verb is also included.

Uploaded by

Liz Worapsow
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Causative Verbs (Have-Get-Let-Make-Help)

HAVE = GIVE SOMEONE ELSE THE


RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SOMETHING

Grammatical structure:

▪ HAVE + PERSON + VERB (base form)


▪ HAVE + THING + PAST PARTICIPLE OF VERB

Examples of grammatical structure #1:

▪ I’ll have my assistant call you to reschedule the appointment.


▪ The businessman had his secretary make copies of the report.

Examples of grammatical structure #2:

▪ I’m going to have my hair cut tomorrow.


▪ We’re having our house painted this weekend.
▪ Bob had his teeth whitened; his smile looks great!
▪ My washing machine is broken; I need to have it repaired.

Note: In informal speech, we often use get in these cases:

▪ I’m going to get my hair cut tomorrow.


▪ We’re getting our house painted this weekend.
▪ Bob got his teeth whitened; his smile looks great!
▪ My washing machine is broken; I need to get it repaired.

GET = CONVINCE/ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO DO


SOMETHING

Grammatical structure:

▪ GET + PERSON + TO + VERB

1
Examples:

▪ How can we get all the employees to arrive on time?


▪ My husband hates housework; I can never get him to wash the dishes!
▪ I was nervous about eating sushi, but my brother got me to try it at a Japanese
restaurant.
▪ The non-profit got a professional photographer to take photos at the event for free.

LET = PERMIT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN

Grammatical structure:

▪ LET + PERSON/THING + VERB (base form)

Examples:

▪ I don’t let my kids watch violent movies.


▪ Mary’s father won’t let her adopt a puppy because he’s allergic to dogs.
▪ Our boss doesn’t let us eat lunch at our desks; we have to eat in the cafeteria.
▪ Oops! I wasn’t paying attention while cooking, and I let the food burn.
▪ Don’t let the advertising expenses surpass $1000.

Remember: The past tense of let is also let; there is no change!

Note: The verbs allow and permit are more formal ways to say “let.” However,
with allow and permit, we use to + verb:

▪ I don’t allow my kids to watch violent movies.


▪ Our boss doesn’t permit us to eat lunch at our desks.

MAKE = FORCE OR REQUIRE SOMEONE TO TAKE


AN ACTION

Grammatical structure:

▪ MAKE + PERSON + VERB (base form)

Examples:

2
▪ After Billy broke the neighbor’s window, his parents made him pay for it.
▪ My ex-boyfriend loved sci-fi and made me watch every episode of his favorite
show.
▪ The teacher made all the students rewrite their papers, because the first drafts
were not acceptable.

HELP = ASSIST SOMEONE IN DOING


SOMETHING

Grammatical structure:

▪ HELP + PERSON + VERB (base form)


▪ HELP + PERSON + TO + VERB

After “help,” you can use “to” or not – both ways are correct. In general, the
form without “to” is more common:

▪ He helped me carry the boxes.


▪ He helped me to carry the boxes.
▪
▪ Reading before bed helps me relax.
▪ Reading before bed helps me to relax.

CAUSATIVE CHART
HAVE somebody do something
Formal Use something done
GET somebody to do something
Informal Use something done
LET somebody / something do
(Permit)
MAKE somebody / something do
(Force)
HELP somebody do
(Assist) somebody to do

For more info, you can watch

[Link]

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