English — Grammar: The Causative — Have and Get Something Done — 3rd Year Secondary

The Causative in English: Have/Get Something Done

The causative structure “have/get something done” is an important grammatical construction in English used to express that someone performs a service for you, rather than doing it yourself. It is widely used in both formal and informal English and is essential for achieving fluency, especially in writing tasks and speaking exercises.

1. The Structure “Have Something Done”

Formation

Subject + have + object + past participle

Examples:

• “I had my car repaired yesterday.” (Someone repaired my car — I didnt do it myself.)
• “She has her hair cut every month.” (The hairdresser cuts her hair.)
• “We are having our house painted this week.” (Painters are painting our house.)

Use in different tenses

Tense	Structure	Example
Present simple	have + object + pp	I have my car serviced regularly.
Present continuous	am/is/are having + object + pp	I am having my hair done now.
Past simple	had + object + pp	She had her watch repaired last week.
Future simple	will have + object + pp	We will have our house cleaned.
Present perfect	have/has had + object + pp	He has had his car washed.
Modal verbs	modal + have + object + pp	You should have your eyes tested.

2. The Structure “Get Something Done”

“Get something done” has a similar meaning to “have something done”, but it is more informal and often implies that you have made an effort or arranged for something to happen.

Formation

Subject + get + object + past participle

Examples:

• “I need to get my phone fixed.”
• “She got her passport renewed before the trip.”
• “We got the roof repaired after the storm.”

3. “Have/Get Someone To Do Something” (Active Causative)

This structure focuses on the person who performs the action rather than the service itself.

Have + person + base verb: “Ill have the receptionist call you back.”

Get + person + to + infinitive: “She got her brother to help her with the project.”

4. When to Use the Causative

• When you pay for a service: “I had my suit dry-cleaned.”
• When you arrange for something to be done: “Were having a new kitchen installed.”
• When something unpleasant happens to you: “He had his wallet stolen.” (a different use — “had” here means “experienced”)

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

• ✗ “I had my car repair.” (wrong verb form)
  ✓ “I had my car repaired.” (correct — past participle)
• ✗ “I had repaired my car.” (this means I repaired it myself)
  ✓ “I had my car repaired.” (someone else repaired it)
• ✗ “I get my hair cutted.” (wrong past participle)
  ✓ “I get my hair cut.” (correct — “cut” is the past participle)

Exercises

1. Rewrite the sentences using the causative “have something done”: a) A mechanic serviced my car. → I _____ . b) A dentist checked her teeth. → She _____ . c) A decorator is painting their house. → They _____ .
2. Complete with the correct form of “have something done”: a) I _____ (my hair / cut) every six weeks. b) She _____ (her portrait / paint) last year. c) We _____ (the windows / clean) tomorrow.
3. Rewrite using “get something done” (informal): a) Someone repaired the washing machine. b) A tailor altered her dress. c) An electrician fixed the wiring.
4. Choose the correct form: a) I had my watch (repair / repaired). b) She got her brother (help / to help) her. c) We had the roof (check / checked).
5. Write 5 sentences about services you regularly have done (e.g., haircuts, car repairs, dental check-ups).

Conclusion

The causative structure is an essential part of English grammar that allows you to express ideas about services and arrangements efficiently. Mastering this structure will make your English sound more natural and will help you achieve higher scores in writing and speaking tasks.

For more grammar lessons, check out Passive Voice with Modal Verbs and Wish Clauses — Expressing Regrets and Desires.