The Causative / Have something done

​HAVE SOMETHING DONE

​HAVE + OBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE

​Someone does something for us

​We use have + object + past participle when we want to talk about something that someone else does for us, usually because we pay them or we ask them to do it. Compare:

• We clean the house every Friday. (=we clean it ourselves)

• We have the house cleaned every Friday. (=someone else cleans it for us)

​

The verb have is not an auxiliary verb in this construction so we need to use did or do for negative sentences and questions when there is no auxiliary verb.

• We don’t usually have the house painted, we do it ourselves. (NOT: We haven’t the house painted)

• Did you have your house painted? It looks great. (NOT: Had you your house painted?)

​We can use have something done in any verb tense.

​

Jill	had	the roof	repaired	yesterday.
Where	did you have	your hair	cut?
Your hair looks nice.	Have you had	it	cut?
Julia	has just had	central heating	installed	in her house.
We	are having	the house	painted	at the moment.
How often	do you have	your care	serviced?
I think you should	have	that coat	cleaned	soon.

​Have + object + past participle

​Get something done

  In informal English, we can use get + object + past participle with the same meaning as have something done.

• I need to get my eyes tested.

• They got their home rebuilt after the earthquake.  

• She got her legs burned in the fire. (negative experience)

​Have someone do something

  We can use the construction have + person + infinitive with the same meaning as have something done, but in this case we mention the person who is doing something for us.

• We are having the architect redesign the ground floor. 

• Susanne had her brother prune all the trees. 

 

Get someone to do something

  We can also use the construction get + someone + to+ infinitive to talk about someone doing something for us, because we are paying them, or because we asked or convinced them to do it. However, get someone to do something often implies the idea that you have convinced someone to do something.

• I got a mechanic to take a look at the car.

• Tom’s boss got him to go to a conference in Germany.

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

We had a web designer ________ our website.

• to make

• made

• make

Multiple Choice

We should get ________________ before we can launch the new product.

• to design a new logo

• a new logo to design

• a new logo designed

Multiple Choice

From now on, I'm going to have ______________ more often.

• my car to wash

• my car washed

• my car wash

Multiple Choice

You should have ___________________to your hair. It looks horrible.

• something done

• something to do

• to do something

Multiple Choice

She told me that she'd had ___________________ with a titanium prosthesis.

• replaced her hip

• her hip replace

• her hip replaced

Multiple Choice

We got an approved mechanic ______________ our car.

• to inspect

• to have inspected

• inspect

Multiple Choice

Call us and you will get _______________ for free.

• your old fridge collected

• to collect your old fridge

• your old fridge collect

Multiple Choice

We ______________ while we were away on holiday.

• had our flat to burgle

• had burgled our flat

• got our flat burgled

Multiple Choice

You should have _____________________ a long time ago. 

• your car repaired

• to repair your car

• had your car repaired

Multiple Choice

I don't have my watch. I'm ______________ at the shop.

• having to repair it

• having it repaired

• having it repair

• repairing

Multiple Choice

We need to ___________. They are really dirty.

• have the windows clean

• have the windows to clean

• get to clean the windows

• get the windows cleaned

Multiple Choice

I'll get ____________ my tires.

• someone to replace

• someone replace

• to replace

• someone replacing

Multiple Choice

I'm ____________ by a local dressmaker.

• having my dress made

• getting to make my dress

• having my dress make

• making my dress

Multiple Choice

I ____________ at the pub last night.

• had stolen my jacket

• got my jacket to steal

• got my jacket stolen

• stole my jacket

Multiple Choice

We _____________ to our house every week.

• have our food to delivered

• have delivered our food

• get to deliver our food

• have our food delivered

Multiple Choice

We should _____________ soon.

• have to cut our grass

• got our grass to cut

• have our grass cut

• got cut our grass

Multiple Choice

You should have _______ the engine.

• a mechanic to check

• a mechanic check

• a mechanic checking

• a mechanic to have checked

Multiple Choice

We are going to _______________ before the trip.

• have the oil to change

• have changed the oil

• get the oil change

• get the oil changed

Multiple Choice

Please, can you _______ the tables before you leave?

• get Tim to clean

• have Tim cleaning

• get Tim clean

• have Tim to clean

Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct form of have something done and the words in brackets.

I've just called my hairdresser and next Monday I'm

(cut/my hair).

Fill in the Blanks

We normally

(paint/our house) every other year.

Fill in the Blanks

The storm damaged our roof and we needed to

  (repair/it).

Fill in the Blanks

There is a lot of noise now because the neighbours

  (build/a new wall).

Fill in the Blanks

We

(install/an alarm) last October.

Fill in the Blanks

David

(remove/his tonsils) when he was 9.

Fill in the Blanks

I think you don't see too well. Tell me,

(you/ever/test/your eyes)?

Fill in the Blanks

Are you going to redecorate the house yourselves or

(redecorate/it) by a professional?

Fill in the Blanks

I

(never/service/my car) yet.