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Causative Verbs: Let, Make, Have and Get

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Causative verbs let you say that one person makes, allows, arranges, or persuades someone else to do something. The four main ones in English are let, make, have and get, and they each work a little differently.

This guide is for B1 to C1 learners who want to use these verbs correctly in conversation, emails and exams. By the end you will know the structure of each verb, when to use it, the passive forms that most learners miss, and the mistakes to avoid. There are exercises to practice and a free worksheet to download.

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A quick video summary

What causative verbs are

Causative verbs are verbs that show that one person or thing causes another person or thing to do something. Instead of doing the action yourself, you cause someone else to do it. The four main causative verbs in English are let, make, have and get.

For example, you do not cut your own hair. You have your hair cut. Your manager does not write the report; she makes you write it. A causative verb describes who is really behind the action.

Let, make, have and get at a glance

VerbStructureMeaningExample
LETlet + person + base verbto allow or give permissionMy boss let me leave early.
MAKEmake + person + base verbto force or strongly pressureThe teacher made us redo the test.
HAVEhave + person + base verbto arrange for or assign a taskI had the assistant book the room.
GETget + person + to + base verbto persuade or convinceShe got her brother to help her move.

The key point: let, make and have are followed by the base verb with no "to," while get needs "to" before the verb. That single difference is the most common slip.

Reading the rule is the easy part. Using causatives naturally in real conversation is harder. Book a free trial lesson and practice with an experienced native teacher, no credit card needed.

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Each verb in detail

LET = allow / give permission

let + person + base verb

LET means you allow someone to do something. It is informal and very common in speech.

  • My parents let me stay out late.
  • The app does not let you save without an account.

MAKE = force / strong pressure

make + person + base verb

MAKE means you force someone to do something, or something causes a strong reaction. There is no choice for the other person.

  • The coach made the team run ten laps.
  • That film made me cry.

HAVE = arrange for / assign

have + person + base verb

HAVE means you arrange for someone to do something, often as part of their job or a service. You are not forcing them; you are giving them the task.

  • I had the technician fix the printer.
  • The manager had her team prepare the slides.

GET = persuade / convince

get + person + to + base verb

GET means you persuade or convince someone to do something. It suggests a little effort or encouragement on your part.

  • I finally got my colleague to join the gym.
  • How did you get them to agree?

The passive causative: have and get something done

This is the construction most learners miss, and it is very common. When you arrange for a service to be done to something (not by yourself), you use have or get + object + past participle.

ExampleWhat it means
I had my hair cut.A hairdresser cut it.
We are having the kitchen painted.Painters are painting it.
She got her car repaired.A mechanic repaired it.
You should get that document translated.Someone translates it for you.

HAVE and GET are almost interchangeable here. GET is slightly more informal. Use this pattern whenever you pay for or arrange a service, rather than doing the action yourself. You can also use it for something unexpected or unwanted: "They had their flight cancelled," or "He got his phone stolen on the train."

A note on make in the passive, and on help

MAKE in the passive takes "to." In the active voice, make is followed by the base verb (they made me wait). In the passive, it takes the to-infinitive: "I was made to stay late."

HELP is a near-causative. Help can be followed by either the base verb or the to-infinitive, and both are correct: "She helped me move the sofa," or "She helped me to move the sofa."

Common mistakes with causative verbs (let / make / have / get)

  1. Adding "to" after let, make and have. Wrong: "My boss made me to work." Right: "My boss made me work." Only GET takes "to."
  2. Forgetting "to" after get. Wrong: "I got him do it." Right: "I got him to do it."
  3. Skipping the passive causative. Saying "I cut my hair" when a hairdresser did it. Use "I had my hair cut."
  4. Using the base verb in the passive of make. Wrong: "I was made wait." Right: "I was made to wait."
Free causative verbs worksheet from Live English covering let, make, have and get

Download the free worksheet

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Practice exercises on causative verbs (let / make / have / get)

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with LET / MAKE / HAVE / GET in the present tense. Remember to conjugate to the correct person.

Exercise 2. Choose the correct verb to fit into each space.

Exercise 3. In each sentence there is a verb that does not make sense. Rewrite each with the correct causative verb to give the right meaning.

Quick self-check

Fill each gap with the right causative verb, then reveal the answers.

1. My teacher ____ me explain my answer. (force)
2. I need to ____ my suit ____ before the wedding. (arrange a service: clean)
3. She finally ____ her boss ____ approve the budget. (persuade)

Show answers

1. made.   2. have / get ... cleaned (passive causative).   3. got ... to.

How did that feel? Recognising causatives in an exercise is one thing. Using them without thinking, in a real conversation, is the goal. In a free trial lesson, an experienced native teacher will have you practicing these in real sentences within minutes.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the four causative verbs in English?
The four main causative verbs are let, make, have and get. They show that one person causes another to do something: let means to allow, make means to force, have means to arrange or assign, and get means to persuade.
What is the difference between make and have?
Make means to force someone to do something, with no choice for them. Have means to arrange for someone to do something, often as part of a job or a paid service. "My boss made me stay late" is force; "I had the plumber fix the leak" is an arrangement.
How do you use "have something done"?
Use have or get plus the object plus the past participle to say that you arranged for a service to be done to something. For example, "I had my car serviced" or "We're getting the house painted." Someone else does the action; you arrange it.
Why does get use "to" but let, make and have do not?
It is simply how these verbs work in English. Let, make and have are followed by the base verb (let me go, made me go, had me go), while get always takes the to-infinitive (got me to go). The base verb here is called the bare infinitive.
Is "help" a causative verb?
Help is often grouped with the causatives. It can be followed by either the base verb or the to-infinitive, and both are correct: "She helped me move" and "She helped me to move."

Key takeaways

  • Causative verbs show that one person causes another to do something.
  • LET = allow, MAKE = force, HAVE = arrange, GET = persuade.
  • Let, make and have take the base verb. Get takes "to" + verb.
  • Use have or get + object + past participle for services done to something ("have your hair cut").
  • In the passive, make takes "to": "I was made to wait."

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Written and reviewed by the experienced native English teachers at Live English, online since 2007.