Causative Verbs
A causative verb is a verb that causes or provokes one to perform a certain task.
There are mostly four verbs that come under the criterion of causative verbs namely: get, have, let and make.
Some examples of how to use these verbs in the sentences are given below.1. Get* *[1]
1. I get my hair cut every Saturday (by the barber).
2. I get the barber to cut my hair every Saturday.
Let’s consider the following structures that we find in these two sentences.
1. Subject + get + object + V3 (past participle) +… [As in sentence 1 above]
2. Subject + get + agent (doer) + to + V1 (to-infinitive) + object +… [As in sentence 2 above]
2 Have*
1. I have my hair cut every Saturday (by the barber)
2. I have a servant cook my food every morning.
Let’s consider the following structures that we find in these two sentences.
1. Subject +have +object + V3 (past participle) + ... [As in sentence 1 above]
2. Subject + have + agent(doer) + V1 +object + … [As in sentence 2 above]
3. Make*
1. My mother makes me study all the time.
2. I am made to study all the time (by my mother).
Let’s consider the following structure that we find in these two sentences.
1.1. Subject + make + agent (doer) + V1 (infinitive) + … [As in sentence 1 above]
2. Object + is/am/are/was/were + made + to +V1( to infinitive) + (by my mother) [As in sentence 2 above]
Note: Sentences in the passive voice with make causative verb take to-infinitive (to + V1)
4. Let*
1. He let all the students work on their own.
2. Let all the students work on their own.
Let’s consider the following structure that we find in these two sentences.
1. Subject + let +agent (doer) + V1 (infinitive) + … [As in sentence 1 above]
2. Let +agent(doer) + V1 + … [As in sentence 2 above]
Now select the most correct word (s) to complete the following sentences.
1. Kamala never ………….. her husband cook food in the morning. (has/gets/let/make)
2. Bhandary sir doesn’t let us …………the library in the afternoon. (to visit/visited/visit)
3. Go and get your luggage………….in the counter. (checked/to check/checking)
4. Why are you making them……..for no reason at all? (weeping/weep/wept)
5. Moni always has me …….her exercise book in the class. (tick/to tick/ticked)
6. I got my brother……….his friends on his birthday. (to invite/invited/ invite)
7. Surprisingly Bishal got her bag ……… in the afternoon. (to steal/ steal/ stolen)
8. He is making the cobbler……...his shoes. (polish/ to polish/ polished)
9. Ritee got her pencil……… while sketching a portrait of her friend. (break/to break/broken)
10. Sarita has got a maid ………her house. (clean/to clean/ cleaned)
11. Bersha …… a new book bought yesterday. (has/got/let)
12. Shiwa was……..work on the house board all day. (was made/was made to/made)
13. ……all the children play as they wish. (make/Let/has)
14. Deepali has got a tutor………her tuitions on Mathematics. (to give/given/give)
15. The principal had a boy…….his lunch to school. (brought/bring/to bring)
16. Please get all the books…….. by the next week. (mend/mended/to mend)
17. He will have his sister ……….her the difficult lessons. (teach/to teach/taught)
18. Kumari used to get a boy…….milk in the evening. (bring/to bring/brought)
19. ‘Maine Pyar Kyon Kiya’……… the audiences laugh to their hearts. (made/got/had)
20. Sadhana must have her boyfriend……… her to the restaurant for dinner tonight. (take/taken/to take)
21. Sunil has his wife……..the child to school. (take/ to take/ taken)
22. The buffoon ……us laugh. (make/has/got/lets)
23. Priyanka has had her bicycle………. (repair/repaired/to repair)
24. The officer let all the recruits……. the surrounding. (clean/to clean/cleaned)
25. Sheela…..tutors teach her Physics, English, and Nepali. (had/got/make)
26. Do you think we can get him …… the work? (do/done/to do)
[1] Indicates all forms of the causative verbs given
