The Passive Causative

Hello, guys! Welcome to Grammar Zone!

Last week my sister Lucy wanted to have her hair coloured green! Fortunately, she changed her mind! Now she’s got another mad idea! She’s going to have her nose pierced!

Look at the photos. Which forms of body art do you think are attractive?

Each culture has a different ideal of beauty and throughout the ages, men and women have done amazing things to achieve the ideal. They have had their hair shaved, cut, coloured, straightened, and curled; and they have had their bodies decorated with paintings and tattoos. Here are some of today’s many options:

HAIR

Getting your hair done is the easiest way to change your appearance. Today, both men and women have their hair permed. Or if your hair is long, you can get it cut.

Of course, you can have your hair coloured and become a blonde, brunette, or redhead.

TATTOOS

This form of body art was created thousands of years ago. Today, more and more people are having them done. Although you can now get a tattoo removed with less pain and scarring than before, having one applied is still a big decision.

BODY PAINT

If tattoo is not for you, you can have ornaments painted on your skin instead. Some people have necklaces and bracelets painted on their neck and arms or get a butterfly mask applied to their face for a special party. Unlike a tattoo, these decorations can be washed off.

PIERCING

Many people now are getting their noses, lips or other parts of the body pierced for jewelry. Piercing requires even more caution than tattooing, and aftercare is very important.

COSMETIC SURGERY

You can have your nose shortened, or have your chin lengthened. You can even have the shape of your body changed.

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.

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.

Now it’s time to practise the rule.

It’s May 15. Look at the Johns’ calendar and write sentences about when they had things done, and when they are going to have things done.

1. The Johns are going to have family pictures taken on the 21^st.

2. Debra had her hair permed on the 7^th.

3. Lucy had the dog groomed on the 14^th.

4. They are going to get the windows washed on the 16^th.

5. They had the carpets cleaned on the 13^th.

6. Lucy is going to have her nose pierced on the 25^th.

7. Henry got his hair cut on the 12^th.

8. They are going to have food and drinks delivered on the 20^th.

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!