Causative Have / Get

Causative Have / Get (Notes)

Causative Have / Get (Worksheet + Keys)

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 themselves. Maybe they paid, or asked, or persuaded the other person to do it. For example, we can say:  

• I cleaned my house. (This means I cleaned it myself). 

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

• A cleaner cleaned my house. But, another way is to use a causative construction. 

So I can also say:  I had my house cleaned. 

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

Have + object + past participle (have something done) 

• Causative Have 1