Causative verbs – Get, Have, Make, Let, Help

We use causative verbs to show that someone or something caused something to happen. Causative verbs are: get, have, make, let and help.

Here is what you need to know about the causative in English.

Causative # 1 – HAVE/GET SOMETHING DONE

This means that someone does something for you because you pay or ask them to do it , but you don’t say who this person is.

Causative # 2 – HAVE SOMEONE DO SOMETHING

This means that someone does something for you because you pay or ask them to do it, but you also say who this person is.

Causative # 3 – GET SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING

This means someone does something for you because you persuade (= encourage, tell them that you’d like them to do something)  them to do it. So this construction feels less neutral than the previous ones.

Causative # 4 – MAKE SOMEONE DO SOMETHING

This means that you force someone/something to do something for you.

Causative # 5 – LET SOMEONE/SOMETHING DO SOMETHING

This means that you allow ( = let, give permission to do something) someone to do something or you allow something to happen.

Causative # 6 – HELP SOMEONE (to) DO SOMETHING

This means that you help ( = assist) someone (to) do something. This structure is most often used without ‘to’.