UNDERSTANDING CAUSATIVE VERBS : A COMPREHENSIVE INTRODUCTION
As you learn English, you might have heard of the term “Causative Verb”, but then you end up forgetting it as you progress with your English. So, what is a Causative Verb ? Causative Verb is the term used to indicate a verb that causes something. In other words, it is a verb that is used when an object, a person, or an event is responsible for causing an action. Now, we are going to explore more about the function of causative verbs and examples to teach you how to use it.
There are two main structures of causative verbs, those being Active Causative and Passive Causative.
Active Causative
In active causative, there is the agent, which is the one that is doing the action, and the action verb which can be at either its base form or infinitive form. A verb becomes infinitive when the word “to” is placed in front of it.
Sentence structure : Subject + Causative Verb + agent + action verb (base/infinitive)
Example :
- Mom made me pick up the laundry.
- I’m not allowed to go outside for the time being.
Passive Causative
In passive causative, the agent is not mentioned in the sentence. Here, the action verb is in its past participle form.
Sentence structure : Subject + Causative Verb + Object + Action Verb (Past Participle)
Example :
- They had to get their car fixed.
- She had her final project submitted by her friend.
Let’s take a look at some of the more commonly used causative verbs.
- Let
The causative verb “Let” means to give someone permission to do a certain action.
The correct structure when using the word “Let” is : Let + agent + base verb
Example :
- Don’t let him eat any more chocolate!
- The school let him take the exam again.
Another causative verb that has similar meaning and function as “Let” are “permit” and “allow”. The difference is that, instead of the base verb, they use the infinitive verb.
Therefore, the structure is : permit/allow + agent + infinitive verb.
For example :
- My parents won’t allow me to go abroad.
- The school won’t permit students to color their hair.
- Make
“Make”, in causative verbs, means to force or convince someone to do something.
The structure for the causative verb “Make” is : Make + agent + base verb.
Example :
- I want to make America great again.
- He made her leave immediately.
- Have
“Have” is a causative verb that is used when someone is getting someone else to do something. There are two structures for this causative verb :
- Have + person + base verb
- Have + object + past participle of verb
Example :
- I will have my parents visit the school tomorrow.
- They had their house refurbished.
There is a difference between the two structures. In structure one, you’re explaining who is doing the action, while structure two is focused more on the action than it is on the person
- Get
The causative verb “Get” is used to encourage or persuade someone to do something. While it is similar to “Have”, “Get” uses an infinitive verb instead of a base verb and “Get” is used less formally. Like “Have”, “Get” also has two structures :
- Get/got + agent + infinitive verb
- Got + object + past participle verb
Example :
- She’s trying to get him to buy clothes.
- He got his fancy watch fixed.
By having an understanding of causative verbs, we can further deepen our understanding of the English language and improve our English skill. Remember to practice and pay attention to your progress as it will help to motivate yourself!
Reference :
reWriter. (2018, October 29). Causative Verbs : Definition and Examples. EnglishSentences.com. https://englishsentences.com/causative-verbs/
Osmond, C. (2022). Causative Verbs – Rules, Structure & List of Examples. GRAMMARIST. https://grammarist.com/grammar/causative-verbs/
Memberships. (2021, February 17). Wall Street English. https://www.wallstreetenglish.co.id/english-tips/causative/