This document defines and provides examples of causative verbs - verbs that cause something to happen. It discusses the causative verbs "let", "make", "have", and "get" and their meanings and usage patterns. Let means to allow, make means to force, have means to give responsibility for, and get usually means to convince or trick someone into doing something. The document provides examples for each verb and notes that get and have can sometimes be used interchangeably but do not always have exactly the same meaning.

1. Causative Verbs
Let / Make / Have / Get

2. What ON EARTH are
Causative Verbs??????
 A causative verb is a verb that ‘causes’.
 Examples.




He had them review the case. (=caused)
I got my friend to go skydiving with me! (=convinced)
He let me borrow his Lamborghini. (=allowed)
My teacher made me redo the homework!  (=forced)

3. Let
 Meaning: This construction means "to allow
someone to do something.”
 Form: [ let + person + verb ]
 Examples:
- John let me drive his new car.
- Will your parents let you go to the party?
- I don't know if my boss will let me take the day off.

4. Make
 Meaning/Use: This construction means "to force someone to do
something.”
 FORM

[make + person + verb]
 Examples:

My teacher made me apologize for what I had said.

Did somebody make you wear that ugly hat?

She made her children do their homework.

5. Have
 Meaning/Use: “To give someone the responsibility
to do something”
 FORM
 [have + person + verb]
Examples:
- Dr. Smith had his nurse take the patient's temperature.
- Please have your secretary fax me the information.
- I had the mechanic check the brakes.

6. Get
 Use/meaning: “This construction usually means "to
convince to do something" or "to trick someone into
doing something.”
 FORM
 [get + person + to + verb]
Examples:
- Susie got her son to take the medicine even though it tasted
terrible.
- How can parents get their children to read more?
- The government TV commercials are trying to get people to
stop smoking.

7. Get vs. Have
 Sometimes "get someone to do something" is
interchangeable with "have someone do something,"
but these expressions do not mean exactly the same
thing.
 Examples:
 I got the mechanic to check my brakes.
(= At first the mechanic didn't think it was necessary, but I
convinced him to check the brakes.
 I had the mechanic check my brakes.
(= I asked the mechanic to check the brakes.

8.  Source:
 Focus on Grammar 4