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)
- I didn’t want to clean my room, but my mom ____ me do it.
a) made
b) let
c) got - They usually ____ me borrow their car on the weekends.
a) made
b) let
c) get - I can’t fix the computer, so I’ll ____ a technician fix it.
a) make
b) let
c) have - My teacher ____ me rewrite the essay because it wasn’t good enough.
a) got
b) let
c) made - We ____ the plumber repair the pipe.
a) made
b) had
c) let - I finally ____ my brother to clean his room.
a) made
b) let
c) got - My parents ____ me stay up late during the summer.
a) let
b) made
c) got - The coach ____ us practice for two hours yesterday.
a) let
b) made
c) got - He always ____ his little brother play with his toys.
a) let
b) made
c) had - I’ll ____ the mechanic check your car tomorrow.
a) let
b) make
c) have - She ____ me drive her new car.
a) made
b) let
c) got - My boss ____ me finish the report before I could leave.
a) let
b) made
c) got - I ____ the doctor to examine my knee after the accident.
a) made
b) had
c) got - They ____ us stay at their house during our visit.
a) let
b) made
c) got - 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)
- The boss ____ her finish the project before leaving for vacation.
a) got
b) let
c) made - I’ll ____ the technician fix your computer later.
a) have
b) let
c) made - The teacher ____ the students stay after class to discuss their behavior.
a) let
b) got
c) made - I can’t cook, so I ____ my mom show me how to do it.
a) got
b) made
c) let - He ____ his little brother stay up past his bedtime last night.
a) let
b) made
c) got - My friend ____ me borrow her bike for the weekend.
a) let
b) made
c) got - I finally ____ my dad to agree to go on vacation this summer.
a) made
b) got
c) let - My parents ____ me come home by 9 PM when I was younger.
a) made
b) got
c) let - The boss ____ them stay late to finish the project.
a) let
b) made
c) had - The dentist ____ me sit still during the whole procedure.
a) made
b) let
c) got - We’ll ____ the movers take everything to the new house tomorrow.
a) let
b) make
c) have - My dad ____ me take his car for the weekend.
a) got
b) let
c) made - She ____ him call his parents to explain what happened.
a) got
b) let
c) made - They ____ their daughter have a puppy for her birthday.
a) got
b) made
c) let - 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)
- She finally ____ her roommate to clean the apartment.
a) got
b) let
c) made - He ____ the accountant check the financial statements before submitting them.
a) let
b) had
c) made - The coach ____ the team practice extra hard for the championship.
a) made
b) let
c) had - After several attempts, I ____ my boss approve the new proposal.
a) got
b) made
c) let - We’ll ____ a designer create the logo for our new product.
a) have
b) made
c) get - My professor ____ me rewrite the entire paper.
a) made
b) got
c) let - The company ____ us present our project to the executives.
a) got
b) let
c) made - She finally ____ him understand the importance of the project.
a) let
b) made
c) got - He ____ them wait outside while he finished his call.
a) made
b) let
c) got - My parents ____ me invite my friends over for the weekend.
a) let
b) made
c) had - The CEO ____ the entire team work on the report until midnight.
a) made
b) got
c) let - I ____ the repairman come over this afternoon to fix the washing machine.
a) got
b) made
c) let - She ____ her friend borrow her favorite book.
a) got
b) let
c) made - The customer ____ the manager give him a discount.
a) made
b) let
c) got - 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