This document defines and provides examples of different causative verbs in English - make, get, have, let, and help. It explains that causative verbs cause other people or things to perform an action. Make is the most forceful causative, followed by get, have, let, and help. The document provides examples of correct and incorrect usage for each causative verb and discusses their use in different sentence structures.

1. CAUSATIVES
Taken from Sharpe, Pamela J. (1992)

2. DEFINITION
 Causatives are main verbs that cause people
or machines to do things or cause things to
change.
 They are listed below in order of the most
forceful to the least forceful:
make
get
have
let
help

3. Causative Make
Subject MAKE Someone Verb
word
His
mother
made him take his
medicineSubject MAKE Somethin
g
Verb
word
I made the
machine
work
Remember that MAKE can be used as a causative. In a
causative , a person does not perform an action
directly. The person causes it to happen by forcing
another person to do it.

4. Causative Get
Subject GET Someone infinitive
Let’s get Ralph to go with us
Subject GET Somethin
g
participle
Let’s get our car fixed
Remember that GET can be used as a causative. In a
causative, a person does not perform an action
directly.

5. Causative Have
Subject HAVE Someone Verb
word
My
English
teacher
has us give oral
reports
Subject HAVE Somethin
g
participle
I Want to
have
this book renewed please
Avoid using an infinitive or an –ing form instead of a verb word
after a person in a causative with HAVE. Avoid using a verb or an
infinitive instead of a participle after a thing in a causative with
HAVE.

6. Causative Let
Subject LET Someone Verb
word
His
mother
let him go to school
Subject LET Somethin
g
Verb
word
I am letting this
machine
cool
Avoid using an infinitive or an –ing form instead of a
verb word after a person or thing in a causative with
LET.

7. Causative Help
Subject HELP Someone Verb
word/infi
nitive
He is helping me type my paper
He is helping me to type my paper
Avoid using an –ing form instead of a verb word or an
infinitve after a person in a causative with HELP

8. Please state correct or incorrect for
the following sentences.
1. She made the baby to take a nap.
2. Professor Rogers didn’t make us type up our lab
reports.
3. I want to get the house painted before winter.
4. Nora got her mother’s wedding dress to alter so that
it fit perfectly.
5. Tom had a tooth filled.
6. I like the way you had the beautician do your hair.
7. Would you let us borrowing your notes?
8. Don’t let that to bother you.
9. Have you had the temperature to take yet?
10. Her husband always helps her to do laundry.

9. Causative in other forms of
sentences
 Are you going to make your daughter work
part time in the store this summer?
 I can’t seem to make this dishwasher run.
 I don’t think that we can get Karen to take us
to San Diego.
 Why will you have to get your car fixed this
morning?
 They have had their lawyer change their will.
 Did you have this paper submitted?

10.  When I was learning to drive, my Dad let me
use his car.
 Have you let your dog clean?
 She hasn’t let her mother do this again.
 My friends do not help me to make this project
successful.
 Why did you help him buy the new pair of
shoes?

11. THANK YOU