This document provides an overview of causatives and permissives in English grammar. It defines causatives and permissives as constructions where the subject causes or allows another agent to perform an action. The document outlines three common structures for causatives, describing the positioning of the subject, agent, object, main verb, and causative verb in each. It also lists some main verbs commonly used to express causation or permission.

1. Causatives and Permissives
A Primer
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

2. Disclaimer
The slideshows in this series are not meant to be comprehensive,
but rather starting points for further study by Intermediate
students of ESL (English as a Second Language).
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

3. Causatives/Permissives: Definition
We use causatives and permissives when the
subject of a sentence does not do an action, but
rather causes or permits another agent to do an
action.
For example, whenever you want, have, allow
someone to do something, you are using a causative or
permissive.
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

4. Terms
Subject: The person who initiates the action.
Main (or functional) verb: The verb that gets
conjugated (the subject’s verb)
Agent: The person who will do the action.
Causative verb: The agent’s verb
Object: The thing to be acted upon by the agent
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

5. General Rules
There are 3 common structures used.
Some main verbs can be used in several
structures, others are specific to that structure.
Causatives and permissives do not use
subordinate clauses.
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

6. Structures
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

7. Causative I
Subject Object Agent
I have my hair washed at the hair salon (by a hairdresser)
Main Verb Causative Verb
Passive voice
Causative verb is in participle form
Agent not always necessary, “by” precedes
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

8. Causative II
Subject Agent Object
I have the hairdresser cut my hair at the hair salon
Main Verb Causative Verb
Active voice
Causative verb is in root form
Agent is direct object
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

9. Causative III
Subject Agent Object
I get the hairdresser to cut my hair at the hair salon
Main Verb Causative Verb
Active voice
Causative verb is in infinitive form
Agent is direct object
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010

10. Common Main Verbs for Causatives and
Permissives
Causative I Causative II Causative III
have have get
get let persuade
want make allow
would like want
would like
Peter Mangiaracina
Monday, December 20, 2010