4 CAUSATIVE VERBS Explained (Have / Get / Make / Let) ENGLISH GRAMMAR

4 CAUSATIVE VERBS Explained (Have / Get / Make / Let) ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Explanation + Extra Activities

Causative Verbs: Easy Explanation

What are causative verbs?
Causative verbs show that someone makes, asks, convinces, or allows another person to do something. Instead of doing the action yourself, you get someone else to do it for you.

There are four common causative verbs: make, have, get, and let.

1. MAKE (force someone to do something)

  • Structure:
    Subject + make + person + base verb
  • Example:
    “The teacher made the students finish their homework.”
    (The teacher forced the students to do their homework.)
  • Key Point:
    “Make” means someone has no choice but to do the action.

2. HAVE (ask someone to do something for you)

  • Structure:
    Subject + have + person + base verb
  • Example:
    “I had my friend help me with my project.”
    (I asked my friend to help with my project.)
  • Key Point:
    “Have” means someone is asked or told to do the action, but it’s not as strong as “make.”

3. GET (convince someone to do something)

  • Structure:
    Subject + get + person + to + base verb
  • Example:
    “I got my brother to fix my computer.”
    (I convinced or asked my brother to fix the computer.)
  • Key Point:
    “Get” is used when you persuade or convince someone to do something.

4. LET (allow someone to do something)

  • Structure:
    Subject + let + person + base verb
  • Example:
    “My parents let me stay up late on weekends.”
    (My parents allow me to stay up late.)
  • Key Point:
    “Let” means you give permission for someone to do something.

Summary:

  • Make = force someone to do something.
  • Have = ask someone to do something.
  • Get = convince someone to do something.
  • Let = allow someone to do something.

Try using these verbs in different situations to get comfortable with them!


Extra Practice

Beginner Level (1-15)

  1. I didn’t want to clean my room, but my mom ____ me do it.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) got
  2. They usually ____ me borrow their car on the weekends.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) get
  3. I can’t fix the computer, so I’ll ____ a technician fix it.
    a) make
    b) let
    c) have
  4. My teacher ____ me rewrite the essay because it wasn’t good enough.
    a) got
    b) let
    c) made
  5. We ____ the plumber repair the pipe.
    a) made
    b) had
    c) let
  6. I finally ____ my brother to clean his room.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) got
  7. My parents ____ me stay up late during the summer.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) got
  8. The coach ____ us practice for two hours yesterday.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) got
  9. He always ____ his little brother play with his toys.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) had
  10. I’ll ____ the mechanic check your car tomorrow.
    a) let
    b) make
    c) have
  11. She ____ me drive her new car.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) got
  12. My boss ____ me finish the report before I could leave.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) got
  13. I ____ the doctor to examine my knee after the accident.
    a) made
    b) had
    c) got
  14. They ____ us stay at their house during our visit.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) got
  15. The movie was so scary that it ____ me close my eyes.
    a) got
    b) made
    c) let

Beginner Answers:
1: a, 2: b, 3: c, 4: c, 5: b, 6: c, 7: a, 8: b, 9: a, 10: c, 11: b, 12: b, 13: c, 14: a, 15: b


Intermediate Level (16-30)

  1. The boss ____ her finish the project before leaving for vacation.
    a) got
    b) let
    c) made
  2. I’ll ____ the technician fix your computer later.
    a) have
    b) let
    c) made
  3. The teacher ____ the students stay after class to discuss their behavior.
    a) let
    b) got
    c) made
  4. I can’t cook, so I ____ my mom show me how to do it.
    a) got
    b) made
    c) let
  5. He ____ his little brother stay up past his bedtime last night.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) got
  6. My friend ____ me borrow her bike for the weekend.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) got
  7. I finally ____ my dad to agree to go on vacation this summer.
    a) made
    b) got
    c) let
  8. My parents ____ me come home by 9 PM when I was younger.
    a) made
    b) got
    c) let
  9. The boss ____ them stay late to finish the project.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) had
  10. The dentist ____ me sit still during the whole procedure.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) got
  11. We’ll ____ the movers take everything to the new house tomorrow.
    a) let
    b) make
    c) have
  12. My dad ____ me take his car for the weekend.
    a) got
    b) let
    c) made
  13. She ____ him call his parents to explain what happened.
    a) got
    b) let
    c) made
  14. They ____ their daughter have a puppy for her birthday.
    a) got
    b) made
    c) let
  15. We ____ a professional photographer take our pictures.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) had

Intermediate Answers:
16: c, 17: a, 18: c, 19: a, 20: a, 21: a, 22: b, 23: a, 24: b, 25: a, 26: c, 27: b, 28: c, 29: c, 30: c


Advanced Level (31-45)

  1. She finally ____ her roommate to clean the apartment.
    a) got
    b) let
    c) made
  2. He ____ the accountant check the financial statements before submitting them.
    a) let
    b) had
    c) made
  3. The coach ____ the team practice extra hard for the championship.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) had
  4. After several attempts, I ____ my boss approve the new proposal.
    a) got
    b) made
    c) let
  5. We’ll ____ a designer create the logo for our new product.
    a) have
    b) made
    c) get
  6. My professor ____ me rewrite the entire paper.
    a) made
    b) got
    c) let
  7. The company ____ us present our project to the executives.
    a) got
    b) let
    c) made
  8. She finally ____ him understand the importance of the project.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) got
  9. He ____ them wait outside while he finished his call.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) got
  10. My parents ____ me invite my friends over for the weekend.
    a) let
    b) made
    c) had
  11. The CEO ____ the entire team work on the report until midnight.
    a) made
    b) got
    c) let
  12. I ____ the repairman come over this afternoon to fix the washing machine.
    a) got
    b) made
    c) let
  13. She ____ her friend borrow her favorite book.
    a) got
    b) let
    c) made
  14. The customer ____ the manager give him a discount.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) got
  15. We’ll ____ a contractor renovate the house next year.
    a) made
    b) let
    c) have

Advanced Answers:
31: a, 32: b, 33: a, 34: a, 35: a, 36: a, 37: b, 38: c, 39: a, 40: a, 41: a, 42: a, 43: b, 44: c, 45: c

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