Causative Verbs

A.    Definition Of Cusative Verbs

      The causative verbs are used to indicate that one person causes a second person to do something for the first person. One can cause sombdy to do something for him or her paying, asking, or forcing the person. The causative verbs are : heve, get, make. let, help.

B.     Class and example Of Cusative Verbs

 The clause following have or get maybe active or passive. Study the following rules.

1.      Have/Has/Had (any tenses)

Active  ( S + Have/Has/Had + Complement + V1 )

Passive ( S + Have/Has/Had + Complement + V3 )

Example :

Active  : Mary had John wash the car

Passive : Mary had the car washed

2.      Get (any tenses)

Active  ( S + Get + Complement + to + V1 )

Passive ( S + Get + Complement + V3 )

Example :

Active   : Mary got John to wash the car

Passive : Mary got the car washed

3.      Make (any tenses)

Make can be followed only by a clause in the active voice. It is stronger than have or get. It means force.

Forms  ( S + Make + Complement + V1 )

Note    : ( S + Force + Complement + To + V1 )

Examples :

The manager made the salesman attend the conference.

The teacher always makes the childern stay in their seats.

4.      Let (any tenses)

Let is usually added to the list of causatives in grammar textboks. It is not actually causative. It is  means allow or permit. Notice the difference in grammar.

Forms  ( S + Let + Complement + V1 )

( S + Permit / Allow + Complement + To + V1 )

Note    : Let is not INTERCHANGABLE with leave, which means to go away.

Examples :

John let his daughter swim with her friends.

John permitted his daughter to swim with her friends

5.      Help

Help is not actually a causative verb either, but is generally considered with causative verbs in grammar textbooks. It is usually followed by the simple form, but can be followed by the infinitive in some cases. It means assist.

Forms  ( S + Help + Complement + V-infinitive or V-simple form )

Examples :

John helped Mary wash the dishes.

The teacher helped Carolina find the research materials.

Examples in the Paragraph

       Yesterday I had a really bad day. I made the children get up at half past five, because I had to leave home early. I had to take my car to the garage to have it serviced. I couldn’t get my wife to take the children to school, because she had already arranged to have her hair dyed that morning before work. Having to make the kids get up that early made me feel guilty, but as you can see, I couldn’t help it. Of course, they weren’t very happy, to say the least. Then, they made me fry them eggs for breakfast, which took quite long, because our cooker is not in perfect order.

      I should have had it changed long ago, but somehow I never had the time. My wife started complaining again when she saw me struggling with the cooker that I can never get anything done. It just made me feel bad, but it didn’t improve anything. Then I spilt some hot on my hand, which had me running round the kitchen, cursing and banging on everything. We were running short of time and I had to make the kids finish their breakfast in a hurry. The weather forecast warned us that it would be cold so I made the children put on two pullovers. Jenny couldn’t find her favourite blue pullover and it made her cry. I got Tony to turn the whole wardrobe upside down to find it, but of course it was no good. We were running twenty minutes behind schedule when we left the house. In the car, Tony asked me if I had had his watch repaired.

       This might make you believe that I’m a careless father, but I hadn’t. I told him that I had had my assistant take it to the watchmaker’s, but it wouldn’t be ready till Friday. Then Jenny tried to get me to drive faster because she enjoys speed. We were late anyway, so I obliged. But only till the next corner, where I was forced to stop by a police car. They had me take a breath test and fined me for speeding. When I arrived at the office, I found that my assistant hadn’t been able to get the typists to type my letters. That was the end. I decided I had had enough. I simply got my secretary to bring me a cup of coffee and told her to have all my meetings cancelled for that day. I sat down to my coffee and spent the rest of the morning reading the papers.

Exercises

1.      Ali is having his father   (contact) the officials.

2.      Nayla got his cat     (bring) him the magazine.

3.      I  made Hasan (call) her friend on the phone.

4.      The director  is making his  functionary    (sign) this document.

5.      Mila got her  car  (lock) well

6.      Johnny’s mom made him ____________________ (clean) his room

7.      I am having the seamstress ____________________ (alter) my dress.

8.      My parents got me _____________________ (visit) my aunt before leaving town.

9.       Our boss let us _____________________ (leave) the meeting early.

10.  We should help Jennifer _____________________ (study) for her final exam.

11.  They will have to get the judge ____________________ (sign) the form before they can proceed.

12.   The Johnson’s always have us ____________________ (feed) their dog for them during their summer vacation.

13.  Ralph is getting Julia ____________________ (write) his essay for him.

14.   The dog made the cat ____________________ (climb) the tree quickly

15.  I got the mechanic ____________________ (fix) my car before he went to lunch.