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English grammar

Having something done by somebody else

B2 · Upper intermediate Verbs and time Questions 10

The rule

I painted the kitchen and I had the kitchen painted are two different lives. The causative says you arranged it, paid for it or caused it, and somebody else did the work. Have something done is neutral; get something done is slightly more informal and often carries effort. There is also a bad-news use with no arrangement at all: We had our car stolen. And with a person named, the structures change: have somebody do it (instruct) against get somebody to do it (persuade).

Pattern

have / get + object + past participle · have + person + bare infinitive · get + person + to + infinitive

Examples

  1. We are having the boiler serviced on Thursday.

  2. I must get these shoes repaired before the winter.

  3. She had her bag taken on the train.

  4. I could not get him to answer a single email.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: I had repaired my watch last week by a jeweller.

    Right: I had my watch repaired last week.

    In the causative the object comes before the participle.

  • Wrong: I got him do it.

    Right: I got him to do it.

    get + person takes to; have + person does not.

  • Wrong: We had stolen our car.

    Right: We had our car stolen.

    Word order decides whether you are the victim or the thief.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. We are having cleaned the carpets on Friday.
    2. We are having the carpets clean on Friday.
    3. We are having the carpets cleaned on Friday.
    4. We have the carpets cleaning on Friday.
    Show answer

    Answer: C We are having the carpets cleaned on Friday.

    Object then participle.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. I need to get the car looked at.
    2. I need to get the car look at.
    3. I need get the car looked at.
    4. I need to get looked at the car.
    Show answer

    Answer: A I need to get the car looked at.

    get + object + participle.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. She had the electrician to check the wiring.
    2. She had checked the electrician the wiring.
    3. She had the electrician checking to the wiring.
    4. She had the electrician check the wiring.
    Show answer

    Answer: D She had the electrician check the wiring.

    have + person takes the bare infinitive.

  4. 4Fill in the gap.

    I am going to _____ my eyes tested.

    1. let
    2. make
    3. have
    4. do
    Show answer

    Answer: C I am going to have my eyes tested.

    The neutral causative is have.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    We finally _____ the landlord to fix the leak.

    1. let
    2. got
    3. made
    4. had
    Show answer

    Answer: B We finally got the landlord to fix the leak.

    get somebody to means persuade.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    They _____ their window broken twice last winter.

    1. had
    2. let
    3. got to
    4. made
    Show answer

    Answer: A They had their window broken twice last winter.

    The bad-news causative with no arrangement.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    I could not _____ anybody to answer the phone.

    1. get
    2. have
    3. let
    4. make
    Show answer

    Answer: A I could not get anybody to answer the phone.

    get + person + to for persuasion.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    She had her hair _____ the day before the interview.

    1. to cut
    2. cut
    3. cutting
    4. cuts
    Show answer

    Answer: B She had her hair cut the day before the interview.

    The participle of cut is cut.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. We had the roof repaired by a local builder.
    2. We got the roof repaired locally.
    3. A local builder repaired the roof.
    4. We had repaired the roof by a local builder.
    Show answer

    Answer: D We had repaired the roof by a local builder.

    The causative needs object before participle.

  10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. I had him to sign the form.
    2. I had him sign the form.
    3. I got him to sign the form.
    4. I made him sign the form.
    Show answer

    Answer: A I had him to sign the form.

    have + person takes no to.

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