Causative Verbs make / let / have / get｜Meanings and Usage

In English, when I want to express ideas such as “to make someone do something” or “to have someone do something,” I use causative verbs.

By using causative verbs, I can naturally express the nuance of making another person perform an action, or having an action done for me.

In this lesson, I will explain the basic usage of the representative causative verbs: make, let, have, and get.

1. The Basic Structure of Causative Verbs

Causative verbs generally follow the pattern “person (or thing) + base form of the verb.”

However, in the case of get, the structure is “get + person + to + base form of the verb,” which is a distinctive feature.

2. Make: To Force Someone to Do Something

The structure “make + person + base verb” means “to make someone do something,” often against their will. This verb carries a strong nuance of force, whether by power or by circumstance.

The key point is that make is used even when the person did not want to do the action.

3. Let: To Allow or Permit Someone to Do Something

The structure “let + person + base verb” means “to let someone do something” or “to permit an action.”

Unlike make, the verb let implies giving freedom or permission.

Thus, let carries a softer nuance of “allowing what someone wants to do.”

3. Have: To Cause or Ask Someone to Do Something

The structure “have + person + base verb” is used to mean “to cause someone to do something” or “to have someone do something.”

This does not imply force, but rather a natural situation or a request.

There is also a common passive-like usage: “have + thing + past participle,” meaning “to have something done.”

This structure is very frequently used in English, so it is important to remember.

5. Get: To Persuade or Manage to Have Someone Do Something

The structure “get + person + to + base verb” means “to persuade or convince someone to do something” or “to manage to have something done.”

Compared with have, get suggests more effort or persuasion.

The important points are that get implies persuasion or effort, and it always uses the to-infinitive.

6. Summary

Izumi

Author

「English Morning｜基礎から学ぶ英語講座」を運営している泉（Izumi）です。このサイトでは基礎から応用まで、英語の文法を解説しています。