Grammar: ⚙️ Verbs in Depth: Mastery (C1) - Lesson 2: Causative 'have/get something done' & 'make/let/help someone do'

⚙️ C1 Lesson 2: Causative Verbs

As an advanced speaker, you know that we don't always do things ourselves. We often cause things to happen—by arranging a service, forcing someone, or giving permission. We use causative verbs¹ to express these ideas. Today we focus on two main patterns.

Pattern 1: The Passive Causative ('have' or 'get' something done)

We use this structure when we arrange² for someone else (usually a professional) to do a service for us. The focus is on the result of the service, not the person who performs it. Using 'get' is slightly more informal than 'have'.

Structure: Subject + have/get + Object (thing) + Past Participle

• "I didn't fix my moto myself; I had it fixed at a shop."
• "She is going to the salon to get her hair cut."
• "We are having a new air-conditioner installed tomorrow."

Pattern 2: The Active Causative ('make', 'let', 'help')

We use this structure when we talk about forcing, permitting, or assisting another person to do an action. The verb that follows is a base infinitive³ (the verb without 'to').

make + person + verb (to force⁴ someone):
"The sad movie made me cry." (It forced me to cry.)

let + person + verb (to permit⁵ someone):
"My parents let me stay out late on weekends." (They permit it.)

help + person + verb (to assist someone):
"Could you help me carry this table?" (Note: with 'help', you can also use a 'to-infinitive': "help me to carry...")

Causative Verbs at a Glance

Causative	Structure	Meaning
have / get	have + thing + V3	Arrange a service
make	make + person + verb	Force / require
let	let + person + verb	Allow / permit
help	help + person + (to) verb	Assist

🧠 Practice Quiz: What's the Cause?

Choose the correct words to complete each sentence.

1. My passport photo is old. I need to _______ a new one _______. (have / taken)
   Answer: have / taken
2. My boss _______ me work late last night. (made / let)
   Answer: made (This implies force or requirement, not permission.)
3. My parents are very relaxed. They _______ me do whatever I want. (make / let)
   Answer: let (They give permission.)
4. The comedian was hilarious. He _______ everyone _______. (made / laugh)
   Answer: made / laugh
5. The official documents were in English, so I _______ them _______ into Khmer. (had / translated)
   Answer: had / translated (I arranged for the service.)

📝 Homework: Causing Actions

Complete these sentences with your own ideas using a logical causative structure.

1. My house was very dirty, so I...
   (Example: ...had it cleaned.)
   _________________________________________
2. The children wanted to watch a movie, so their mother...
   (Example: ...let them watch one.)
   _________________________________________
3. My friend didn't want to apologize, but I knew he was wrong, so I...
   (Example: ...made him apologize.)
   _________________________________________

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Causative Verb: (Noun Phrase) - កិរិយាស័ព្ទαιតុក (kĕ'rĭ'ya'sâp ae'tŭk) - A verb used to indicate that one person causes another person to do something. ↩
2. Arrange: (Verb) - រៀបចំ (riəp'châm) - To plan or make preparations for a future event or service. ↩
3. Base Infinitive: (Noun Phrase) - កិរិយាស័ព្ទដើមគ្មាន 'to' (kĕ'rĭ'ya'sâp daem k'mean 'to') - The infinitive form of a verb without the word 'to' (e.g., go, see, do). ↩
4. Force: (Verb) - បង្ខំ (bâng'khâm) - To make someone do something against their will. ↩
5. Permit: (Verb) - អនុញ្ញាត (â'nu'nheat) - To allow something. ↩