The causative: have and get something done
Use the causative when another person does the job for us. Pattern 1: have + person + base verb: We had the caretaker open the gate. Pattern 2: get + person + to + infinitive: She got her cousin to teach her chess. Pattern 3: have or get + object + past participle: I had my bike mended. Salma is getting her photo printed. In pattern 3 we do not need to name the person who does the job. Change have or get for the tense: has, had, will have, is having, is getting. Careful: pattern 1 has no to, and pattern 2 has to. A short note: make and let are followed by a base verb (Our teacher let us use the room) and allow is followed by to (She allowed us to leave early); we do not build a whole lesson on them. Common slips: had it fixes, got it repair, got him help. The book’s items on page 75 are named by page.
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| have + person + base verb | had the caretaker open | We had the caretaker open the gate. |
| get + person + to + verb | got her cousin to teach | She got her cousin to teach her chess. |
| have / get + object + past participle | had my bike mended | I had my bike mended. |
| note | let / make + base verb; allow + to | She allowed us to leave early. |
Pair work: each of you says three things you had done or got done in the last month (a haircut, a photo, a bike repair). Your partner asks one question with Who and writes your answers with the causative.