At a glance
Causative verbs
- make + person + V1force
- Mum made me clean my room.
- let + person + V1allow
- Dad let me stay up late.
- get + person + to V1persuade
- I got him to help me.
- help + person + (to) V1give help
- She helped me (to) carry it.
- have + person + V1ask a worker
- I had the mechanic check the car.
- Start
- Is it make, let or have?Yesno to: + V1They made us wait.
- Is it get, allow, force, ask or persuade?Yes+ to V1She got me to sign it.
- help: both are OKhelp me (to) find it
Examples
Mum made me clean my room. (I didn't want to.)
My parents let me watch TV late on Fridays. (They allowed it.)
I got my brother to help me. (I persuaded him.)
Can you help me carry this box?
I had the mechanic check my brakes.
Passive
- make in the passive needs to: We were made to wait.
- let has no passive. Use be allowed to: I was allowed to go.
Verbs that cause by themselves
Some verbs already mean "make something happen": raise (make rise), lay (make lie), set (make sit), fell (make fall).
Many verbs with -en or en- mean "make": widen (make wide), shorten, darken, strengthen, sharpen, enlarge, enrich, endanger.
They widened the road. (made it wider)
Practice
Answer the questions. Get 7 out of 10 to finish this lesson.