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0 Gcausative 3

The document discusses causative constructions in English. It explains that causatives are used when someone causes an action to be done by another person rather than doing the action themselves. The verb "to have" is used to introduce the causative, followed by a direct object, the main verb in past participle form, and optionally "by" plus the agent. Alternately, "to have" can be followed by the agent as a direct object and the main verb in infinitive form plus the object. The verb "to get" is also sometimes used instead of "to have". Causatives express a change in feelings or conditions using "to make" plus an adjective. Examples are provided to illustrate causative constructions.

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32 views

0 Gcausative 3

The document discusses causative constructions in English. It explains that causatives are used when someone causes an action to be done by another person rather than doing the action themselves. The verb "to have" is used to introduce the causative, followed by a direct object, the main verb in past participle form, and optionally "by" plus the agent. Alternately, "to have" can be followed by the agent as a direct object and the main verb in infinitive form plus the object. The verb "to get" is also sometimes used instead of "to have". Causatives express a change in feelings or conditions using "to make" plus an adjective. Examples are provided to illustrate causative constructions.

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Veerendra Atla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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http://www.ToLearnEnglish.com Resources to learn/teach English (courses, games, grammar, daily page...

) For ESL/EFL
learners/teachers.
Causative constructions
When one does not carry out an action oneself but rather has the action done by someone else, this is expressed
by a causative construction.
> In English it is the verb "to have" that introduces the causative: "to have" (conjuguated) + direct objet
(noun or pronoun) + main verb (in its past participle form):
We'll have a monument erected on this site. I had my hair cut.
> When one wishes to designate the agent of the action (the person who has carried out the described action),
there are two possibilities:
1. "to have" (conjuguated) + direct objet (noun or pronoun) + main verb (in its past participle form) +
"by" + agent (usually not as a pronoun):
The professor had the work done by his lab assistants. I had it done by my employees.
2. "to have" (conjuguated) + agent (as a direct object noun or pronoun) + main verb (in its infinitive form)
+ the object (also in the form of a direct object noun or pronoun)
The professor had his students write an essay. I had him do it.
Note: Especially in spoken English, the verb "to get" often replaces "to have," in which case "to" is added to
the infinitive (but not before past participles). This construction also suggests that it may be (or have been)
difficult to produce a certain reaction on the part of the agent:
We'll get a monument erected on this site. The professor got his students to write an essay.
> When one wishes to express a change in temperament or in general conditions, it is the construction "to
make + adjectif" which is used:
That letter made her sad. He makes me furious! That new problem made negotiations really hard!
TEST
Build causatives sentences, as in this example: He went to the hairdresser's (His father...) > His father had
him go to the hairdresser's.
1. He stayed in bed. (The nurse...)
2. He will apologize to you (I...)
3. He admitted that he was wrong. (We...)
ANSWERS
1. The nurse had him stay in bed. 2. I will get him to apologize to you.3. We had him admit that he
was wrong.

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