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English grammar

Causative: Have/Get Something Done

Updated 27 Oct 2026 4 min read LingoLadder Editorial Team
Cover: Causative have and get something done — I had my car repaired, she got her hair cut
Short answer

Use 'have/get + object + past participle' to say you arranged for someone else to do a job: 'I had my car repaired', 'She got her hair cut'. It shows you did not do the work yourself — a professional did.

On this page10 sections · tap to jump
  1. 01The rule
  2. 02Causative forms
  3. 03Example sentences
  4. 04Common mistakes
  5. 05A short conversation
  6. 06Usage notes
  7. 07Compared with…
  8. 08Practice
  9. 09Quiz
  10. 10Recap cheat-sheet

Level: B2. When a professional does a job for you — cuts your hair, fixes your car, paints your house — you do not say I cut my hair (that means you did it yourself). You use the causative: I had my hair cut.

The rule

The causative structure lets you say that you arranged for someone else to do something, rather than doing it yourself. The pattern is have + object + past participle: I had my car repaired. The object is the thing that receives the action (my car), and the past participle (repaired) is the same third form you use in the passive.

Word order is fixed and important: the object comes between have and the participle. I had my car repaired is correct; I had repaired my car is a different sentence (the past perfect, meaning you did the repairing). Putting the object first is what signals the causative.

You can replace have with get. The meaning is the same, but get is more informal: I got my hair cut, We’re getting the windows cleaned. Both have and get carry the tense, so the pattern works everywhere: I am having my house painted (now), I had it painted (past), I will have it painted (future), I need to have it painted (infinitive).

Two related patterns use a person, not a thing, as the object. Get + person + to-infinitive means persuade: I got my brother to help me. Have + person + base verb (no to) means instruct or arrange: I had the mechanic check the brakes. And the causative has one more use: reporting a misfortune that happened to you — He had his wallet stolen, She had her flight cancelled.

Causative forms

Structure Meaning Example
have + object + past participle arrange a service I had my car repaired.
get + object + past participle arrange (informal) I got my hair cut.
have + person + base verb instruct / arrange I had the plumber fix it.
get + person + to-infinitive persuade I got my friend to help.
have + object + past participle a misfortune happened to you He had his bike stolen.
need + object + -ing (informal) something requires doing The car needs cleaning.

Example sentences

  1. I had my car repaired last week.
    A professional repaired it; I arranged it.
  2. She gets her hair cut every month.
    Get for a routine service, present simple.
  3. We are having our house painted at the moment.
    Causative in the present continuous.
  4. I need to have this document translated.
    Causative in an infinitive after 'need'.
  5. They had a new kitchen fitted.
    Someone else fitted it for them.
  6. He had his wallet stolen on the train.
    The misfortune meaning: something bad happened to him.
  7. You should get your eyes tested.
    Advice using the get-causative.
  8. I'm going to get my teeth cleaned tomorrow.
    Future arrangement with going to.
  9. She had her photo taken for the passport.
    A service she arranged.
  10. We had the roof repaired after the storm.
    Past causative with have.
  11. I got my brother to help me move.
    Get + person + to-infinitive: I persuaded him.
  12. The manager had the whole team work late.
    Have + person + base verb: an instruction.
  13. Did you have the carpet cleaned?
    Causative in a question.
  14. He got the mechanic to check the brakes.
    Persuasion: get + person + to-infinitive.
  15. I had my suit dry-cleaned for the wedding.
    A one-off service in the past.
  16. She had her bike stolen yesterday.
    Misfortune meaning again.
  17. We must have the heating serviced before winter.
    Causative after the modal 'must'.
  18. I had my phone screen replaced.
    A repair done by a shop.
  19. They are getting their windows cleaned today.
    Get-causative, present continuous.
  20. You can get your documents printed at the library.
    Get-causative after 'can'.
  21. I had the dentist take out the tooth.
    Have + person + base verb.
  22. She got her landlord to fix the leak.
    Persuading a person: get + to-infinitive.
  23. We had the garden landscaped last spring.
    A larger service arranged.
  24. He had his portrait painted by a famous artist.
    The doer is named with by.
  25. I'm having my eyes checked next week.
    A fixed future arrangement, present continuous.

Common mistakes

  • ❌ I cut my hair at the salon yesterday. → ✅ I had my hair cut at the salon yesterday. If a professional did it, use the causative; I cut my hair means you did it yourself.
  • ❌ I had repaired my car at the garage. → ✅ I had my car repaired at the garage. Put the object before the participle, or it becomes the past perfect (you did it).
  • ❌ I got my friend help me. → ✅ I got my friend to help me. Get + person needs a to-infinitive.
  • ❌ I had my friend to help me. → ✅ I had my friend help me. Have + person takes the base verb with no to.
  • ❌ I’m going to get cut my hair. → ✅ I’m going to get my hair cut. The object (my hair) goes between get and the participle.
  • ❌ We had painted the house by a decorator. → ✅ We had the house painted by a decorator. The service meaning needs object + participle.

A short conversation

A: Your kitchen looks great! Did you do it yourself? B: No, I had it redone last month. I got a local firm to fit the units. A: Nice. I need to have mine painted too. B: Get it done before winter — the prices go up after that.

Usage notes

  • The tense lives on have/get. The participle never changes for time; have or get does: has his car serviced, had it serviced, is having it serviced, will have it serviced.
  • Have or get? The meaning is identical for arranged services. Get is more conversational and common in speech and in the imperative (Get it fixed!); have is slightly more neutral or formal.
  • The misfortune meaning. Have + object + participle can report something bad that happened to you, with no choice involved: They had their house burgled, She had her car towed away. Context tells you it is bad luck, not a service.
  • Needs doing. Informally, need + -ing expresses the same idea without naming a doer: The car needs cleaning = The car needs to be cleaned.

Compared with…

  • The ordinary passive says only that the action happened: My car was repaired. The causative adds that you arranged it: I had my car repaired. Same event, but the causative puts you in control of it. See Passive Voice: All Tenses and Modals.
  • Make and let are also causatives, but they use a base verb and mean force or permit, not arrange a service: My boss made me stay late, She let me go. There is no past participle. See Make, Let and Allow (Causatives).

Recap card for the English causative lesson showing have and get plus object plus past participle

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Practice

Causative practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 You went to a salon. Which is correct?
Show answer

I had my hair cut yesterday. — A professional did it, so use have + object + past participle: had my hair cut.

Hint: past participle

Show answer

repaired — Have + object + past participle: had the roof repaired.

Hint: get + person + to-infinitive

Show answer

to help — Get + person uses a to-infinitive: got my brother to help.

4 Put the words in order to make a causative sentence.

Show answer

She had her photo taken . — Have + object + past participle: She had her photo taken.

5 Match each pattern to its meaning.

  • I had my car repaired.
  • I had my bike stolen.
  • I got him to help.
  • I had him check it.
Show answer
  • I had my car repaired. → arranged a service
  • I had my bike stolen. → a misfortune happened
  • I got him to help. → persuaded a person
  • I had him check it. → instructed a person

Object + participle = service or misfortune; person + to-infinitive = persuade; person + base verb = instruct.

6 Which sentence is correct?
Show answer

I got my friend to help me. — Get + person needs a to-infinitive: got my friend to help me.

Quiz

Check yourself

Causative quiz

12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/12 0 answered
  1. 1A mechanic fixed your car. Which is correct?
    Show answer

    I had my car repaired. — Have + object + past participle shows you arranged the service: had my car repaired.

  2. 2What does 'I had repaired my car' mean?
    Show answer

    I had already repaired it myself. — Object after the participle makes it the past perfect — you did the repairing.

  3. 3Choose the correct get-causative.
    Show answer

    She gets her hair cut every month. — Get + object + past participle: gets her hair cut.

  4. 4Persuade a person — which is correct?
    Show answer

    I got my friend to help me. — Get + person + to-infinitive: got my friend to help me.

  5. 5Instruct a person — which is correct?
    Show answer

    I had the plumber fix it. — Have + person + base verb (no to): had the plumber fix it.

  6. 6Which sentence shows a misfortune?
    Show answer

    He had his wallet stolen. — Have + object + participle can report bad luck: had his wallet stolen.

  7. 7Complete (future): 'I'm going to ___ my teeth cleaned.'
    Show answer

    have — The base verb 'have' follows 'going to': going to have my teeth cleaned.

  8. 8Which is correct in the present continuous?
    Show answer

    We are having our house painted. — Be + having + object + participle: are having our house painted.

  9. 9Complete: 'You should get your eyes ___.'
    Show answer

    tested — Get + object + past participle: get your eyes tested.

  10. Show answer

    serviced — Have + object + past participle: have the heating serviced.

  11. 11Which is the ordinary passive, not the causative?
    Show answer

    My car was repaired. — 'My car was repaired' is the plain passive; it does not say who arranged it.

  12. Show answer

    to fix — Get + person + to-infinitive: got her landlord to fix the leak.

Recap cheat-sheet

Pattern Use Example
have/get + object + participle you arranged a service I had my car repaired.
have + person + base verb you instructed someone I had him check it.
get + person + to-infinitive you persuaded someone I got him to help.
have + object + participle a misfortune happened He had his bike stolen.

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125 topics 125 ready now
A1 30 topics · 30 ready
  1. 01 Verb 'To Be' in the Present (am, is, are)
  2. 02 Subject Pronouns: I, You, He, She, It, We, They
  3. 03 Present Simple: Affirmative and the -s Ending
  4. 04 Present Simple: Negatives and Questions (do/does)
  5. 05 Articles: a / an and When to Use Each
  6. 06 The Definite Article 'The': When to Use It
  7. 07 Zero Article: When to Use No Article
  8. 08 Plural Nouns: Regular and Irregular Forms
  9. 09 This, That, These, Those (Demonstratives)
  10. 10 Possessive Adjectives: my, your, his, her
  11. 11 Possessive 's and s' (Showing Belonging)
  12. 12 There Is / There Are (Saying What Exists)
  13. 13 Have Got: Talking About Possession
  14. 14 Can and Can't for Ability
  15. 15 Present Continuous (am/is/are + -ing)
  16. 16 Imperatives: Giving Orders and Instructions
  17. 17 Adjectives: Position and Basic Use
  18. 18 Prepositions of Place: in, on, at
  19. 19 Prepositions of Time: in, on, at
  20. 20 Question Words: What, Where, When, Who, Why, How
  21. 21 How Much vs How Many
  22. 22 Countable and Uncountable Nouns
  23. 23 Some and Any: Which One to Use
  24. 24 Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her, us, them
  25. 25 Adverbs of Frequency and Their Position
  26. 26 Like, Love, Hate + -ing (Expressing Preferences)
  27. 27 Would Like: Polite Wants and Offers
  28. 28 Making Requests: Can, Could, May I
  29. 29 Past Simple of 'To Be' (was / were)
  30. 30 Let's and Shall We: Making Suggestions
A2 25 topics · 25 ready
  1. 31 Past Simple: Regular Verbs and -ed Spelling
  2. 32 Past Simple: Irregular Verbs (go, see, have)
  3. 33 Past Simple: Negatives and Questions (did)
  4. 34 Comparative Adjectives (bigger, more expensive)
  5. 35 Superlative Adjectives (the biggest, the most)
  6. 36 Going To: Plans and Predictions
  7. 37 Will: Predictions, Decisions and Offers
  8. 38 Present Continuous for Future Arrangements
  9. 39 Present Perfect for Experience (ever / never)
  10. 40 Present Perfect with just, already, yet
  11. 41 Present Perfect vs Past Simple
  12. 42 Have To and Don't Have To (Obligation)
  13. 43 Should and Shouldn't for Advice
  14. 44 Could: Past Ability and Polite Use
  15. 45 Much, Many, A Lot Of
  16. 46 A Few, A Little, Few, Little
  17. 47 Adverbs of Manner (quickly, well, hard)
  18. 48 Verb + -ing or Verb + to (Introduction)
  19. 49 Zero Conditional (Facts and Rules)
  20. 50 First Conditional (Real Future Possibility)
  21. 51 Prepositions of Movement (to, into, through)
  22. 52 Possessive Pronouns: mine, yours, hers
  23. 53 Past Continuous (was/were + -ing)
  24. 54 Too and Enough (Degree)
  25. 55 Order of Adjectives Before a Noun
B1 27 topics · 27 ready
  1. 56 Past Continuous vs Past Simple
  2. 57 Used To and Would for Past Habits
  3. 58 Present Perfect Continuous (have been -ing)
  4. 59 Present Perfect: Simple vs Continuous
  5. 60 Past Perfect (had + past participle)
  6. 61 Second Conditional (Unreal Present/Future)
  7. 62 Third Conditional (Unreal Past)
  8. 63 Reported Speech: Statements (Backshift)
  9. 64 Reported Questions
  10. 65 Reported Commands and Requests
  11. 66 Passive Voice: Present and Past Simple
  12. 67 Must and Mustn't (Strong Obligation)
  13. 68 May, Might, Could for Possibility
  14. 69 Defining Relative Clauses (who, which, that)
  15. 70 Non-Defining Relative Clauses (with commas)
  16. 71 Gerunds and Infinitives: Full Verb Patterns
  17. 72 Verbs Where -ing vs to Changes Meaning
  18. 73 Future Continuous (will be -ing)
  19. 74 So and Such (Emphasis)
  20. 75 As...As Comparisons (equality)
  21. 76 Question Tags (isn't it? do you?)
  22. 77 Phrasal Verbs: Separable and Inseparable
  23. 78 Linking Words: because, so, although, but
  24. 79 Infinitive of Purpose (to / in order to)
  25. 80 Indirect Questions (Can you tell me...)
  26. 81 Make, Let, Allow, Help (Causatives Intro)
  27. 82 Be Used To and Get Used To (+ -ing)
B2 25 topics · 25 ready
  1. 83 Narrative Tenses for Storytelling
  2. 84 Past Perfect Continuous (had been -ing)
  3. 85 Mixed Conditionals
  4. 86 Wish and If Only (Regrets and Wishes)
  5. 87 Wish/If Only + would (Complaints)
  6. 88 Passive Voice: All Tenses and Modals
  7. 89 Reporting Passive (It is said that / is said to)
  8. 90 Causative: Have/Get Something Done You are here
  9. 91 Reduced Relative Clauses (Participles)
  10. 92 Modals of Deduction: Present and Past
  11. 93 Needn't Have vs Didn't Need To
  12. 94 Future Perfect (will have done)
  13. 95 Participle Clauses (-ing / -ed / having done)
  14. 96 Advanced Comparatives (far/much + er, the more)
  15. 97 Conditional Alternatives: unless, as long as, provided
  16. 98 Advanced Determiners: each, every, either, neither
  17. 99 Intensifiers and Adverbs of Degree
  18. 100 Advanced Contrast: despite, in spite of, however
  19. 101 Advanced Linkers: therefore, moreover, consequently
  20. 102 Advanced Article Use (generalisations, names)
  21. 103 Verb + Preposition and Adjective + Preposition
  22. 104 Relative Clauses: whose, where, when, quantifier + whom
  23. 105 Subject-Verb Agreement: Tricky Cases
  24. 106 Emphatic Do (I do like it)
  25. 107 Would for Past Habits (Formal Narrative)
C1 18 topics · 18 ready
  1. 108 Inversion with Negative Adverbials
  2. 109 Inversion in Conditionals (Had I known)
  3. 110 Cleft Sentences (It was... / What I need is...)
  4. 111 Fronting and Emphasis (Word Order)
  5. 112 Subjunctive and Mandative (I suggest he be)
  6. 113 Ellipsis and Substitution (so, do, one)
  7. 114 Hedging and Cautious Language
  8. 115 Nominalisation (Academic Noun Style)
  9. 116 Advanced Discourse Markers (Spoken & Written)
  10. 117 Advanced Passive (passive + infinitive, get-passive)
  11. 118 Advanced Comparative Structures (no sooner...than)
  12. 119 Future in the Past (was going to / would)
  13. 120 Advanced Modals (may well, might as well, would rather)
  14. 121 Advanced Reported Speech (Reporting Verbs + Patterns)
  15. 122 Advanced and Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs
  16. 123 Collocation and Colligation (Natural Combinations)
  17. 124 Advanced Concession (much as, whatever, however + adj)
  18. 125 Absolute and Non-Finite Clauses (Formal)