Welcome to Advanced English Grammar! At the C1 level, expressing delegation, permission, and formal reporting is crucial for professional communication.
Today, we will master Causative Verbs (have, get, make, let) and Advanced Passive Structures (It is said that...). These tools will significantly elevate your business English and academic writing.
Advanced Mastery: In professional and academic settings, we rarely do everything ourselves, and we must often report information objectively. Causative verbs (have, get, make, let) allow us to elegantly express delegation, requirement, and permission. Impersonal passives (It is said that...) help us report facts without assigning a specific subject. Mastering these will significantly elevate your business English and formal writing.
warning C1 Accuracy Tip
In many languages, the structure for doing something yourself vs. hiring someone is identical. In English, if you say "I repaired my vehicle", it means you fixed the engine with your own hands. If you paid a mechanic, you MUST use a causative: "I had my vehicle repaired."
Advanced Structures
Causative
Have [sth] done
To arrange for someone else (usually a professional) to perform a service for you.
Example: The Ministry of Tourism had the ancient statues restored last year.
Causative
Get [sth] done
Similar to 'have something done', but slightly less formal. Often implies making an effort to ensure completion.
Example: I need to get my work visa extended at the immigration office.
Causative
Make [sb] do
To force, mandate, or require someone to perform an action. (Note: Do not use 'to' before the verb).
Example: The director made the staff rewrite the daily operational reports.
Causative
Let [sb] do
To give someone permission or allow them to do something.
Example: The head guide let the tourists explore the outer ruins independently.
Impersonal Passive
It is said that
A highly formal passive structure used to report general beliefs, history, or rumors without specifying who said it.
Example: It is said that the ancient king was a deeply compassionate ruler.
Advanced Passive
Is expected to
A formal passive structure indicating that an event or action is widely anticipated or scheduled to happen.
Example: The new international airport is expected to significantly boost the regional economy.
C1 Knowledge Check
computer Office Delegation
Sophea did not repair the office computer herself; she paid an IT technician to do it. How do you express this?
newspaper Formal Reporting
You are writing an academic article about history. How do you formally state a popular historical belief?
psychology Semantic Precision
What does the sentence "The director made the guide rewrite the report" imply?
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Advanced Resources
Lesson Summary & Review
Let's review the key grammar structures covered in the interactive module above.
Causative Verbs
- Have / Get something done: Used when you arrange for someone else (usually a professional) to perform a service for you. (Example: "I had my car repaired.")
- Make someone do something: Used to express forcing or requiring someone to act. (Example: "The manager made the staff rewrite the report.")
- Let someone do something: Used to express giving permission. (Example: "She let the team leave early.")
Advanced Passives
Formal passive structures like "It is said that..." or "Is expected to..." are used to report general beliefs, history, or scheduled events objectively, without assigning a specific subject.
