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Sometimes you do a thing yourself. Other times you arrange for it to happen, talk someone into doing it, force their hand, or simply allow them to go ahead. English has a small set of verbs — have, get, make, and let — that exist precisely to handle these second-hand actions. They look ordinary on the page, but each one comes with its own sentence pattern and its own shade of meaning. The rest of this guide lays out those patterns, walks through realistic examples, and closes with a set of practice sentences so you can test yourself.
Table of Contents
What a Causative Verb Actually Does
A causative verb lets the speaker set an action in motion without being the one who performs it. You arrange, you persuade, you force, you allow — but the actual doing is handled by somebody (or something) else. The four main verbs sit along a spectrum of how much pressure is being applied:
| Verb | What It Signals | Pressure Level |
|---|---|---|
| let | allow, give permission | Lowest — simple permission |
| have | arrange, ask as a matter of course | Neutral — authority or routine |
| get | talk into, convince | Mid — takes effort |
| make | force, oblige | Highest — no choice involved |
Have: Arranging Things
Pattern: have + person + bare infinitive
With have, you are arranging for someone to take an action. There is no coercion implied — it's the kind of verb you use when the arrangement flows from your role or from standard practice.
I'll have my paralegal file the paperwork first thing tomorrow.
The chef had the runner take the plates out to table nine.
The coach had the whole squad run an extra lap.
Would you have someone look at the printer before lunch?
Get: Persuading People
Pattern: get + person + to-infinitive
Get carries a sense of effort — you are working on someone until they come around. It usually implies at least a little negotiation, a favor asked, a mind changed.
I got my flatmate to feed the cat while I was away. (had to ask)
She finally got her parents to let her travel alone.
How did you get the vendor to agree to those terms?
We still need to get the building manager to reset the elevator alarm.
Careful here: Have takes the bare infinitive (have someone file), while get takes the to-infinitive (get someone to file). Flipping the two is one of the most common mistakes in exams and in real speech.
Make: Compelling Action
Pattern: make + person + bare infinitive
Make pushes things to the far end of the spectrum. The person on the receiving end isn't being asked — they're being obliged, whether by authority, by circumstance, or by emotion.
The drill sergeant made the recruits redo the obstacle course. (no option)
Her older brother made her apologize to the neighbor.
That news story made everyone in the room go quiet. (forced emotional reaction)
Don't make me say it twice.
In the passive voice: the bare infinitive after make reappears with a to — the pattern becomes be made + to-infinitive:
Active: The manager made the intern stay until eight.
Passive: The intern was made to stay until eight (by the manager).
Let: Granting Permission
Pattern: let + person + bare infinitive
Let is the permission verb. You aren't making anything happen — you're clearing the path for someone else to act.
My landlord let me paint the living room olive green.
They let the kids choose the dessert after a good school week.
Don't let the dog wander near the edge of the cliff.
Please let me know as soon as the shipment arrives.
A note on the passive: let doesn't have a tidy passive form. English tends to reach for be allowed to instead:
Active: The bouncer let us skip the line.
Passive equivalent: We were allowed to skip the line.
"Have + Thing + Past Participle"
Pattern: have + object + past participle
This is the construction you want when a professional is doing the work for you. You aren't the one painting or repairing or trimming — you're just the one arranging for it to get done.
I'm finally going to have the leaky tap fixed this weekend. (a plumber will do it)
She had the rug cleaned before the dinner party. (sent it out or hired someone)
We should have the roof inspected before the rainy season.
He had his suit altered at the tailor's around the corner.
When did you last have your teeth cleaned?
The same pattern can describe something bad happening to you — a loss or mishap outside your control:
Priya had her passport pickpocketed in the station. (something happened to her)
They had their reservation cancelled at the last minute.
"Get + Thing + Past Participle"
Pattern: get + object + past participle
This is the slightly more casual cousin of have something done. In most sentences, the two are interchangeable; get just sounds a shade more conversational.
I really need to get the screen replaced on this laptop. (= have the screen replaced)
Dev got his hair cut before the interview.
We ought to get the brakes checked before the road trip.
She finally got the tattoo touched up after years of putting it off.
Side-by-Side Patterns
| Verb | Pattern (person) | Pattern (thing done) | Sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| have | have + person + bare infinitive | have + thing + past participle | arrange, request |
| get | get + person + to-infinitive | get + thing + past participle | persuade, convince |
| make | make + person + bare infinitive | — | force, oblige |
| let | let + person + bare infinitive | — | allow, permit |
Errors to Watch For
Sticking "To" Where It Doesn't Belong
✗ She made me to apologize to my sister. → ✓ She made me apologize to my sister.
✗ Let me to explain. → ✓ Let me explain.
Dropping "To" After "Get"
✗ I got my cousin drive me to the airport. → ✓ I got my cousin to drive me to the airport.
Leaving "To" Out of Passive "Make"
✗ She was made rewrite the essay. → ✓ She was made to rewrite the essay.
Confusing Who Does the Action
"I cut my hair." = I picked up the scissors myself.
"I had my hair cut." = A stylist cut it while I sat in the chair.
Try It Yourself
Fill in the correct form. Answers follow each item.
1. The sergeant made the recruits _______ (march) in the rain.
Answer: march
2. I finally got my uncle _______ (lend) me the van for the weekend.
Answer: to lend
3. His aunt let him _______ (borrow) her old guitar.
Answer: borrow
4. We need to have the air conditioner _______ (repair) before July.
Answer: repaired
5. The architect had the engineer _______ (review) the blueprints.
Answer: review
6. That song always makes me _______ (dance).
Answer: dance
7. She got her prescription _______ (fill) at the pharmacy on Main Street.
Answer: filled
8. Don't let the puppy _______ (chew) the power cord.
Answer: chew
These four small verbs do a lot of heavy lifting in ordinary English. Once you internalize which pattern follows which verb — bare infinitive after have, make, and let; to-infinitive after get; past participle in the "something done" constructions — you can talk about arrangements, pressures, permissions, and outsourced tasks without hesitation. The structures look deceptively simple, but native-level precision comes from matching the verb to the exact kind of causation you have in mind.
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