Hello there!

This post is for the more advanced readers of this blog and it is about the causative form in English. I found a very cool video on the Business English Pod Youtube channel that explains it. So here we go!

Now a little summary of what you saw in the video:

1. John got Mary to clean up the kitchen. You get someone to do something – it gives you an idea of “persuade”.
2. Mary had John vacuum the carpets. You have someone do something (no ‘to’!). Here we don’t persuade, we ask somebody to do something for us.
3. I made both of them take a break from the housework. You make someone do something (no ‘to’!). In this case you force someone to do something.

Causative Passive

1. I had my hair cut and my suit dry cleaned.
2. I got my car repaired and my watch fixed.
3. I was made to write the test again.