The Causative

Hello, guys!

Look at the photos of this famous man. Do you recognize him?

I’m sure you do. This is Michael Jackson.

Everyone knows him as the King of Pop.

His name became synonymous with dancing and singing. He sold hundreds of millions of records and created a huge fortune.

A POP superstar had also become equally famous for his multiple plastic surgery that he had carried out over the years.

He had his nose altered 4 times, his chin and cheekbones changed and forehead lifted.

Ever since he was young, Michael had an obsession with being white. So when Michael made his first million, he had his skin turned white!

He is often recognized as the man who was born black but died white.

The underlined sentences use a sentence structure known as the Causative.

In this grammar lesson we will look at this structure and you will get to know how to use and form it.

What is the Causative?

The causative form is a special form of passive voice we use when we speak about a professional service which someone does for us.

E.g.

He’s having a tooth repaired.

She is having her nails painted.

She has had her hair dyed brown.

Normally we don’t have an agent here, that is we don’t specify WHO is doing the job. This is usually because it’s obvious from the context.

E.g.

He has his car serviced every year. (The mechanic does it for him – it’s obvious.)

He has had his beard trimmed before. (The barber did it.)

Often we use the causative form to talk about bad experiences.

Again, we don’t normally know who did the job but we can guess.

E.g.

We had our money stolen.

I had my car towed away because I had parked in the no parking area.

Now let’s find out if these things ever happened to you.

Have you ever had your:

·                   eyes tested?

·                   hair dyed?

·                   luggage searched?

·                   photograph taken?

·                   passport stolen?

·                   palm read?

We form the causative with the causative verb in the appropriate tense followed by the object and past participle.

The most common causative verbs are: have / make / let / get

·                   The verb have, used in the causative, forms its negations and questions with the help of auxiliary verbs:

E.g.

She doesn’t have her hair dyed.

Did you have this email sent?

Note: get is often used instead of have in informal speech:

E.g.

Did you get your hair cut before the weekend?

We got the parcels delivered on time.

·                   Get + object + TO infinitive is used to show that somebody requires or persuades another person to do something.

E.g.

She always gets me to help with her homework.

I got my daughter to eat the whole breakfast.

He got his dad to buy him an X Box.

·                   Make + object + infinitive without to is used to express that someone forces someone else to do something.

E.g.

The barking dog made the postman run away.

The rain has made the tourists stay in the hotel this morning.

I don’t think she can make her husband buy that expensive ring.

Sad movies always make me cry.

·                   Let + object + infinitive without to is basically used to give someone permission.

E.g.

She lets me borrow her clothes.

Look at the picture of George. Make the sentences about what he has done.

Use a noun from A and the past participle of a verb from B.

1.                 He’s had a beard cut.

2.                 He’s had an ear pierced.

3.                 He’s had old glasses repaired.

4.                 He’s had his hair dyed.

5.                 He’s had his nose altered.

6.                 He’s had a new suit made.

7.                 He’s had his teeth whitened.

That’s all for today!

Some ways of changing your appearance may be cheap and temporary. However, others are expensive and permanent. So, think before you act, and don’t let today’s choice become tomorrow’s regret!