Definition The causative verb
is a common structure in English. It shows that somebody or something
is indirectly responsible for an action. The subject doesn't perform
the action it self, but causes someone or something else to do it instead.
Pinker, (1988).
Basic causative structures
in English.
There are two basic causative
structures. One is like an active, and the other is like a passive.
- Active causative verbs
This structure is used when
someone causes something to happen, or when a person causes another
one to take an action. Consider:
- Railway station security had
everyone show their tickets.
- The tutor made his students
do an oral interpretation.
- I had Bill fix the van. I
had the van fixed.
- Passive causative verbs
This structure is used to talk about having something done by another person/thing. Consider following example:
- Ahmed had his house
repaired after the Forgan war on Gaza last year.
- President Obama
had his speech written by a very talented group of writers.
- In both cases, the person
(Ahmed and President Obama) arranged for something (repairing a house
and writing a speech) to be done by a third person.
The true causative is have, get, let, make, help
The Causative Verbs
-- Have --
We use this structure to talk about having something done by a third
person. We want something to be done by somebody else.
Have is usually used
for having something done by somebody who is naturally doing
that job. For example, a mechanic, whose job is to
repair cars, repairs your car or a hairdresser cuts your hair.
- I
must
have
the mechanic check
my car.
- You should
have your hair cut
by a hairdresser.
Tense Change: We can
change the tense
of the have.
- I have
my car washed every Sunday.
- I must have
my car washed every Sunday.
- I will have
my car washed every Sunday.
- She has
her car washed every Sunday.
- I had
my car washed every Sunday.
- I have had
my car washed every Sunday.
- I can have
my car washed every Sunday.
- I am going
to have my car washed every Sunday.
- I should have
my car washed every Sunday.
- and to use more tenses and modals is possible.
There
are two forms of doing causative with "have", passive or active.
Active Form
Have
+ somebody + do (verb
1) +
something
In active form, we use somebody and base
form of the verb (verb
1) after the verb "have".
- Mary
had
the nurse check
her temperature.
- I
must
have
the mechanic check
my car.
- We've had
a web designer make
our website.
- I have
the cleaners wash
the floor every day.
- She will
have
Taner paint
the house.
- Please
have
your secretary fax
me the letter.
Passive Form
Have
+ something + done (verb 3) + (by someone)
In passive form, we use
something
and past
participle of the verb (verb
3) after the
verb "have".
-
I must have my car checked by the mechanic.
-
We've had our website made by a web designer.
-
I have the floor cleaned by the cleaners
every day.
-
She will have the house painted by Tom.
-
Please have
the letter faxed me by your secretary.
The Causative Verbs
-- Get --
We express the idea of somebody else to do something. We
require something to be done by somebody else (by a third person).
Get is usually used
for having something done by somebody whom you persuade or
decieve. For example, you persuade a friend to
do your homework,or your sister to clean your room.
- She
always gets
her sister to
clean
her room.
- I'm
going
to
get
Tom to
do
my homework.
Tense Change: We can
change the tense
of the "get".
- I get my
sister to wash my dirty clothes.
- I must get my sister
to wash my dirty clothes.
- Do you get your
sister to wash your dirty clothes?
- Did you get your
sister to wash your dirty clothes?
- I will get my sister
to wash my dirty clothes.
- She gets her sister to wash
her dirty clothes.
- I got my sister
to wash my dirty clothes.
- I have got my sister
to wash my dirty clothes.
- I can get my sister
to wash my dirty clothes
- I am going to get my sister
to wash my dirty clothes.
- I should get my sister
to wash my dirty clothes.
- and
to use more tenses and modals is possible.
There are
two forms of doing causative with "get", passive or active.
Active Form
Get + somebody
+ to
do (verb 1)
+
something
In
active form, we use somebody and infinitive
form of the verb (to
+ verb) after the verb "have".
- She
always gets
her sister to
clean
her room.
- I'm
going
to
get
Tom to
do
my homework.
- I
got
my mother to
iron
my shirt.
- How can I get
him to
fix
the
watch.
- Maria has
got
her landlord to
change
the door.
- Shall
we get
the children to
tidy
the room?
Passive Form
Get +
something + done (verb 3) +
(by someone)
In
passive form, we use something and past
participle of the verb (verb
3) after the
verb "get".
-
I'm
going to
get my homework done
by Tom.
-
I got my shirt ironed by my mother.
-
How can I get the watch fixed.
-
Maria has got the door changed by her landlord.
-
Shall
we get the room tidied by the children?
The Causative Verbs
-- Let --
We
use
"let" causative
verb to " allow
somebody to do something".
We give a permisson to somebody to do something. For example, you allow
your son to go out at night, or the boss gives you a permission to
leave work early.
- I never let
my son go out
at night.
- The boss let me leave work
early today.
Tense Change: We can
change the tense
of the have.
- She
never lets
me drive her car.
- Will you please let me use your
camera?
- Did your father let you come with us?
- She
has just let
the kids play in the garden.
- I can let you go to
the cinema if you do your homework.
- I
may let
you borrow my bike, but you must promise to bring it tomorrow.
- and
to use more English tenses and modals is possible.
Form
Let + somebody
+ do (verb
1) +
something
In
the form, we use somebody
and base
form of the verb (verb
1) after the verb "let".
We don't use
"to - infinitive".
Example Sentences:
-
Teddy never lets me to
drive
his new car.
-
Will your parents let you go to the cinema?
-
I
think my boss will let me take
the day off.
-
He
didn't let me use
his camera.
- Has the teacher let you go home early?
*** The difference between "let" and "allow"
-
The
teacher didn't let the students use
a pen.
The
teacher didn't allow the students to use
a pen. (with "allow", we use "to" before the verb)
-
My
mother doesn't let me wear
her skirt.
My
mother doesn't allow me to wear
her skirt.
The Causative Verbs
-- make --
Make is used to force somebody else to do something. We
require something to be done by somebody else (by a third person) by
using power, influence or authority.
Meaning
1
Make causative verb
is usually used for having something done by somebody whom you force or
influence. For example, a police officer stops your car,or
your mother forces you to clean your room.
- The police
officer made
the man pull
over.
- Her
boss made
her work
on Saturday and Sunday.
Meaning 2
Also, Make causative
verb means " to
cause".
- The film made
me cry
a lot.
- Slow music makes
me sleep.
- The
birthday surprise made
him forget
his sadness.
Tense Change: We can
change the tense
of the "make".
- His
father made him clean
the car.
- My mother makes me cook at
weekends.
- A police
officer can make
us stop.
- You should make your son
clean his own room.
- The
Commander has made
soldiers et up early.
- Did the teacher make you do your
homework?
- I think she will make you stay
here all day.
- and
to use more tenses and modals is possible.
There are
two forms of doing causative with "make", passive or active.
Active Form
Make +
somebody +
do (verb 1)
+
something
In
active form, we use somebody and base
form of the verb (
verb) after the verb "make". We don't use "to -
infinitive".
-
I made my
daughter to
do
her homework last night.
-
His illness has made
him stay
all day long.
-
The teacher made me apologize
for that rude behaviour.
-
The police make
the cars stop
and check every day.
-
I think the doctor will make my
mother come
and see
him every five days.
-
Did somebody make you wear that funny
t-shirt?
Passive Form
Subject + was
/ were + done (verb 3) +
(by someone)
In
passive form, we use was
were and past
participle of the verb (verb
3)
- I was made to cry a
lot by the film. (The film made me cry a lot.)
- Tom
was made to laugh a
lot by my son. (My son made Tom laugh a lot.)
The
soldiers were made
to wait
in the garden.
The Causative Verbs
-- help --
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.
Source :
http://site.iugaza.edu.ps/wamer/files/2010/02/causative-verbs.ppt.
www.englishpedia.net/my-grammar/intermediate/causative/causatives-with-verb-have.html
www.englishpedia.net/my-grammar/intermediate/causative/get-causative-lesson.html
www.englishpedia.net/my-grammar/intermediate/causative/let-causatives-verbs.html
http://www.englishpedia.net/my-grammar/intermediate/causative/make-verb-as-causative.html
http://www.espressoenglish.net/causative-verbs-in-english-let-make-have-get-help/