CAUSATIVE FORM

EXAMPLES

                        ACTIVE                                                                        PASSIVE

I had Mrs. Jones shorten my skirt.                                              I had my skirt shortened.

      (I arranged with Mrs. Jones to                                             ( I arranged for my skirt to be shortened by someone.    

 

      shorten my skirt)                                                                        We don’t know who, so this is like a passive.)

A) The active causative structure – Form

a)      have                somebody                do                 something 

        I had                   my sister               clean               the room

b)      get                   somebody              to do               something  (more informal)

         I got                   my sister              to  clean           the room

 

B) The passive causative structure – Form

 have /get             something               done              

  I had                     my hair                   cut

 We got                    our car                repaired

 

C) Other causative verbs

 a)      make                                somebody          do               something 

The hijackers made                     the pilot              change             the route of the plane .(made=forced)

b)       let                                      somebody           do               something 

 Dad will let                                     me                          drive                  his car     (let=allow)

 

notes

• Mary got her purse stolen at the metro today. (her purse was stolen by someone.Of course she didn’t ask for it)