Causative verbs:
Make: When someone forces another person to do something. The structure is: [Subject] + make +
[person] + [base form of verb]. Example: "The teacher made the student apologize."
Get: When someone persuades another person to do something. The structure is: [Subject] + get +
[person] + to + [base form of verb]. Example: "I got my brother to lend me his laptop.”
Have: When someone arranges for someone else to do something. The structure is: [Subject] + have +
[person] + [base form of verb]. Example: "She had the mechanic fix her car.” The second structure
is subject + have + object + past participle. With this construction, we usually don’t say who performed
the service because it’s obvious. Example: “I had my hair cut by a hairdresser.”
Let: to allow or permit someone to do something. The structure is: Subject + let (all tenses) + person
(object) + [base form of verb]. Example: “My parents let their grandchildren stay up as late as they
want.” “I let the grass grow very long and now it’s hard to cut it.”
Help: does not exactly cause someone to do something, but it does aid the person in doing the action.
So, we can call it a semi-causative verb. Meaning = to aid someone in doing something. The structure is:
Subject + help (all tenses) + someone (object) + infinitive or [base form of verb]. Example: “My mum will
help me decorate my flat.” “Music helps me to fall asleep.”
Allow: This verb expresses that someone is responsible for allowing something to happen. The structure
is Subject + allow + someone (object) + infinitive. Example: "John allowed the children to go to the park"
Causative Verb Worksheet with Explanation
1. Morgan had Julia ______ the bedroom.
cleaned to clean
cleaning clean
2. He always has me _____ his work.
Did do
to do doing
3. Mary will have me _______ her homework.
prepared to prepare
prepare preparing
4. John had his car ______ with only $3.
wash washing
to wash washed
5. He always has his work ______.
did done
does to do
6. She will have her homework _______.
prepared preparing
prepare to prepare
7. She got Alex _______ the bedroom.
cleaning cleaned
have cleaned to clean
8. You always get me _____ your own work.
to do do
done doing
9. This machine will help you _____ faster.
work working
to be worked worked
10. I will make you _____ for this insult.
paid to
pay paying
11. I will let you _____ if you complete the task first.
be gone go
going to go
12. Alex made her _____ whole night.
crying to cry
cried cry
13. Robert helped me _____ the prison.
escaped escaping
to be escaped escape
14. What have I told you to make you _____?
laugh laughed
laughing to laugh
15. My behaviors will not impress a lady _____ in love with me.
to fall falling
fall to be fell
16. Doctor advised him –
to stay at home, taking proper medication and staying at home, to take proper medication
avoiding junk food. and to avoid junk food.
to stay at home, to take proper medication to stay at home, to take proper medication
and avoiding junk food. and to avoid junk food.
