Causative constructions express that one person or thing causes another person or thing to do something, or causes a change to happen. English often separates the causer from the doer, so the subject may not perform the action directly. These structures are common for giving instructions, arranging services, or describing influence and effects.

Use make + object + base verb to say someone forces or strongly compels another person to do an action. The object is the person who performs the action, and the base verb names the action. This pattern is direct and often implies pressure, authority, or lack of choice.

Subject	Form	Example
I	make + object + base verb	I made him apologize.
you	make + object + base verb	You made me wait.
he	makes + object + base verb	He makes her laugh.
she	makes + object + base verb	She makes them work late.
it	makes + object + base verb	It made us change plans.
we	make + object + base verb	We made them stop.
they	make + object + base verb	They made me sign the form.

Use have + object + base verb to say someone arranges, requests, or instructs another person to do something. It often focuses on managing a process or delegating a task, not on force. The object is the doer, and the base verb is the task done.

Subject	Form	Example
I	have + object + base verb	I had my assistant call you.
you	have + object + base verb	You had him fix it.
he	has + object + base verb	He has the team review it.
she	has + object + base verb	She had her friend drive.
it	has + object + base verb	It had me rethink everything.
we	have + object + base verb	We had the technician check it.
they	have + object + base verb	They had their lawyer respond.

Use get + object + to-infinitive to say someone persuades, convinces, or manages to cause another person to do something. It often suggests effort, negotiation, or success after trying. The object is the doer, and the to-infinitive is the action.

Subject	Form	Example
I	get + object + to-infinitive	I got him to help.
you	get + object + to-infinitive	You got her to agree.
he	gets + object + to-infinitive	He gets them to cooperate.
she	gets + object + to-infinitive	She got me to try it.
it	gets + object + to-infinitive	It got us to leave early.
we	get + object + to-infinitive	We got them to listen.
they	get + object + to-infinitive	They got me to join.

Use let + object + base verb to say someone allows or permits another person to do something. The causer gives permission rather than pushing or arranging. The object is the doer, and the base verb is the permitted action.

Subject	Form	Example
I	let + object + base verb	I let her decide.
you	let + object + base verb	You let me explain.
he	lets + object + base verb	He lets them leave early.
she	lets + object + base verb	She let us use the room.
it	lets + object + base verb	It lets you save time.
we	let + object + base verb	We let them speak.
they	let + object + base verb	They let me borrow it.

Use have + object + past participle to say you arrange for a service or action to be done to something. The object is usually the thing affected, not the person doing the work, and the agent is often unknown or unimportant. This pattern is common for repairs, appointments, and professional services.

Rule	Example
have + thing + past participle for services	I had my car repaired yesterday.
agent can be omitted because it is not the focus	She had her hair cut.
include by + agent when you need to name who did it	We had the report checked by an editor.

Use get + object + past participle to say you succeed in arranging for something to be done, often after effort, delay, or difficulty. It is also common in informal speech and can highlight completion. The object is the thing affected, and the agent is usually not mentioned.

Rule	Example
get + thing + past participle emphasizes achieving the result	I finally got my phone fixed.
often sounds more informal than have + past participle	We got the tickets printed.
by + agent is possible but uncommon in casual use	She got the document signed by the manager.

Causatives differ mainly by control and effort: make implies force, have implies arranging or directing, get implies persuasion or success after trying, and let implies permission. For service actions, have done is neutral and common, while get done often highlights that the task was not easy or took time. Choosing the right causative helps you show the relationship between people and how the result happened.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
make + object + base verb	force or compel	The coach made us run.
have + object + base verb	instruct or arrange for someone to do a task	I had my brother carry it.
get + object + to-infinitive	persuade or manage to cause	We got them to stay.
let + object + base verb	allow or permit	They let us enter.
have + thing + past participle	arrange a service done to something	He had his suit cleaned.
get + thing + past participle	manage to have a service done, often with effort	She got her laptop repaired.

Causative meaning stays the same across tenses: the causative verb carries the tense, while the following verb form stays fixed based on the pattern. Use base verb after make, have, and let, use to-infinitive after get, and use past participle for have done and get done. Passive forms are possible when you want the affected thing as the subject or when the agent is irrelevant.

Rule	Example
tense goes on the causative verb	She is having them rewrite it.
verb form after the object is fixed by the pattern	He got me to call, not got me call.
passive causatives can shift focus to the affected thing	The documents were got signed in time.

Causatives require a clear object when another person does the action: make, have, get, and let need an object before the second verb. In service causatives, the object is commonly the affected thing, and the worker can be omitted. Add by + agent when naming who performed the action matters for meaning or clarity.

Rule	Example
include an object for person-doer causatives	We had them wait outside.
service causatives usually use a thing as the object	I had the window replaced.
add by + agent when responsibility or credit matters	She had the contract reviewed by legal.