Causative Have and Get, Causative Verbs Examples and Sentences
Table of Contents
Causative Verbs
A causative verb is a verb in English grammar that indicates that someone or something causes—or helps to cause—something to happen. (Create, cause, allow, help, have, enable, retain, hold, let, force, and need) are examples of causative verbs, which are sometimes known as causal verbs or simply causatives.
A causative verb, which may be used in any sense, is usually preceded by an object and another verb form—often an infinitive or a participle—and is used to indicate anything that occurs as a result of the activities of a person, place, or thing.
In English, the term “cause” isn’t the quintessential causative verb since “cause” has a far more specific and less commonly used definition than “create,” which is most commonly used to signify someone making something happen.
Have
Subject + have (any tense) + object (usually person) + base form of verb + . . .
- John had Alex clean the bedroom for the first time.
- My little brother always has me do his work while I was studying.
- My cousin Mary will have Alex prepare her homework for tomorrow night.
Subject + have (any tense) + object (usually thing) + past participle form of verb + . . .
- John’s father had his car washed.
- My little brother always has his work done.
- My cousin May will have her homework prepared.
Get
Subject + get (any tense) + object (usually person) + infinitive + . . .
- John got Alex to clean the bedroom for the first time.
- He always gets me to do his work while I’m working.
- Mary will get Alex to prepare her homework for tomorrow night.
Subject + have (any tense) + object (usually thing) + past participle form of verb + . . .
- John’s father got his car washed.
- My little brother always gets his work done.
- My cousin May will get her homework prepared.
