Causative: Have Something Done

What is the causative?

The causative is a structure we use when another person does something for us, usually because we asked or paid them. The person who does the job is often not important, so we do not mention them.

I didn't cut my hair myself. I had my hair cut at the salon on Main Street.

The structure is have + object + past participle. The past participle is the third form of the verb: cut, fixed, done, cleaned.

How to form have something done

The word order is very important. The object comes before the past participle.

• I had my hair cut. (Someone cut it for me.)
• I had cut my hair. (Past perfect: I cut it myself, before another past event.)

The causative in different tenses

Only have changes. The object and the past participle stay the same.

Negatives and questions

Have is a normal main verb here, so use do / does / did for negatives and questions in simple tenses.

• I didn't have my car washed. It was raining.
• Where do you have your hair cut?
• Did you have the furnace checked before winter?
• Have you had your eyes tested recently?

How to form get something done

Get + object + past participle means the same as have something done. It is more informal and very common in everyday speech.

• I need to get my car fixed.
• We got the carpets cleaned before we moved out.
• Where did you get your nails done?

Use get especially when you want to show that you need to organise something or finish it:

• I must get my passport renewed before the trip.
• Let's get this report finished today.

When to use the causative

1. Services: someone does a job for you

This is the most common use: haircuts, repairs, deliveries, check-ups.

• I'm having my teeth cleaned tomorrow.
• We had the locks changed after we moved in.
• How often do you get your car serviced?

2. Bad experiences: something happened to you

Have (or get, informally) + object + past participle can also describe something bad that someone else did to you. You did not arrange it.

• She had her bike stolen outside the library.
• We had our flight cancelled at the last minute.
• He had his wallet taken on the subway.

3. Have someone do / get someone to do

When you want to say who did the job, use these patterns.

• Have someone do is common at work, when it is someone's job to do it: I'll have my assistant send you the file.
• Get someone to do often means you persuaded the person: I finally got my son to clean his room.

Causative vs passive vs active

All three can describe the same job, but the focus is different.

The passive voice does not tell us who arranged the job. The causative shows that the subject (I) asked for it or paid for it.

In casual speech, people often say I cut my hair or I'm fixing the car even when someone else does it. This is common, but the causative is clearer.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Putting the past participle before the object

• Wrong: I had cut my hair at the salon.
• Correct: I had my hair cut at the salon.
• Reason: had cut is the past perfect and means you did it yourself.

Mistake 2: Using the base verb instead of the past participle

• Wrong: I need to get my car repair.
• Correct: I need to get my car repaired.
• Reason: the thing (my car) does not do the action, so use the past participle.

Mistake 3: Using to after have + person

• Wrong: I'll have the plumber to check it.
• Correct: I'll have the plumber check it.
• Reason: have + person takes the base verb with no to.

Mistake 4: Forgetting to after get + person

• Wrong: I got my friend fix my laptop.
• Correct: I got my friend to fix my laptop.
• Reason: get + person needs to + base verb.

Mistake 5: Using have in questions without do or did

• Wrong: Had you your car washed?
• Correct: Did you have your car washed?
• Reason: in the causative, have is a main verb, so it needs do / does / did.

Quick reference

Common questions

Is it 'I had my hair cut' or 'I cut my hair'?

I had my hair cut means a hairdresser did it. I cut my hair usually means you did it yourself, although people sometimes say it in casual speech about a haircut. In everyday speech you can also say I got a haircut.

What is the difference between 'have something done' and 'get something done'?

The meaning is the same. Get is more informal and can suggest more effort or urgency: I really need to get my phone fixed. Have is more neutral and a bit more formal.

Can I say who did the job?

Yes. You can add by: I had my house painted by a local company. Or use have someone do: I had a local company paint my house.

Practise next

• Passive Voice — how the passive works with past participles
• Gerunds and Infinitives — more verb + object + infinitive patterns
• Present Perfect — for sentences like I've just had it fixed
• Passive Voice Quiz (B1) — check your past participles