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Causative verbs express an action which is caused to happen. In other words, when I have
something done for me I cause it to happen. In other words, I do not actually do anything, but
ask someone else to do it for me. This is the sense of causative verbs. Intermediate to
advanced level English learners should study the causative verb as an alternative to the
passive voice. There are three causative verbs in English: Make, Have and Get.
In this example, the meaning is the same. Because it's difficult to cut your own hair, it's
understood that someone else cut your hair.
These two sentences have a slight difference in meaning. In the first, it's possible that the
speaker washed the car. In the second, it's clear that the speaker paid someone to wash the
car.
Generally speaking, the passive voice is used to place emphasis on the action taken.
Causatives place the stress on the fact that someone causes something to happen.
https://www.thoughtco.com/english-grammar-causative-verbs-1211118?print 1/3
6/2/2020 https://www.thoughtco.com/english-grammar-causative-verbs-1211118?print
The first sentence is similar in meaning to: Someone painted Jack's house OR Jack's house
was painted by someone. The second sentence indicates that the mother caused the boy to
take an action. In the third, someone told someone to do something.
This form indicates that someone causes another person to take an action. Have someone
do something is often used to management and work relationships.
This form is used with services that are commonly paid for such as car washing, house
painting, dog grooming, etc.
This form is also used for difficult tasks we manage to complete. In this case, there is no
causative meaning.
https://www.thoughtco.com/english-grammar-causative-verbs-1211118?print 3/3