Causative Verbs

Causative verbs are verbs which indicate that one person causes or influences the second person to do something for the first person. [Cliffs TOEFL]

What are causative verbs?

Causative verb "refers to the meaning of making something happen". -Cambridge Grammar of English
Examples:
  1. I made him study for the exam. (The subject "I" caused "him" to "study.")
  2. She had her car repaired. (The subject "She" caused her car to be repaired by someone else.)
Causative verbs are "have", "get" and "make". They are essential in describing situations where one person or thing influences or compels another to take a particular action.

Infinitive & Past Participle after Causative

In causative constructions, both infinitives and participles may be used. Let's explore how infinitives and participles are used in causative sentences:

Infinitives after Causative [Active]

When the object of the causative verb (make, have, get) does the action of the second verb, the second verb must be an infinitive

Form: Subject + have/ get/ make + Object (Person)) + Infinitive  

Examples: 
  1. She made her sister clean the room. [In this sentence, "her sister" is the object of the causative verb "made"; and "her sister" does the action of the second verb "clean". ]
  2. The teacher got her students to study for the test.  [In this sentence, "her students" is the object of the causative verb "got"; and "her students" does the action of the second verb "to study". ]
Past Participle after Causative [Passive]
When the object of the causative verb (have & get) receives the action of the second verb, the second verb must be a past participle

We can use past participle of the second verb only after "have" and "get".

Form: Subject + make/ have/ get + Object (Thing)) + Past Participle  

Example:
  1. She made the room cleaned. [In this sentence, "the room" is the object of the causative verb "made"; and "the room" receives the action of the second verb "cleaned". ]
  2. They had their car repaired by a mechanic.  [In this sentence, "their car" is the object of the causative verb "had"; and "their car" receives the action of the second verb "fixed". ]

Common Causative Verbs

"Have", "get" and "make" are the most commonly used causative verbs in English.

Causative Verb: Make
"Make" as a causative verb can only follow a bare infinitive [infinitive without to]. The second verb cannot be in the passive [past participle].
Here are some examples:
  1. She made him clean the entire house before the guests arrived.
  2. The boss made the employees work overtime to meet the deadline.
  3. The teacher made the students write a 1000-word essay as homework.
  4. The rainy weather made us cancel our outdoor picnic.
  5. He made her apologize for the mistake she made.
  6. They made their kids finish their vegetables before having dessert.
  7. The coach made the players practice for hours to improve their skills.
In each of these examples, "make" is used to indicate that the subject (she, boss, teacher, etc.) is causing or compelling someone else (him, employees, students, etc.) to perform the action (clean, work, write, etc.). The subject is not performing the action themselves but is influencing or forcing someone else to do it.

Causative Verb: Have
When the object of "have" does the action of the second verb, the second verb must be a bare infinitive (infinitive without to).

Form

Active: Subject + have + object (person) + bare infinitive

Passive: Subject + have + object (thing) + past participle 

Examples:

Active: The parents had their children do their chores before going out.
Passive: The parents had their chores done by their children before going out.
Active: They had a painter paint their house last month.
Passive: They had their house painted last month.
Active: He had the plumber fix the leaking pipe in the bathroom.
Passive: He had the leaking pipe fixed by the plumber in the bathroom.
Active: The company had its employees attend a training workshop.
Passive: The company had a training workshop attended by its employees.
Active: He had an engineer upgrade his computer with new hardware.
Passive: He had his computer upgraded with new hardware.

In each of these examples, "have" is used as a causative verb to indicate that the subject took the initiative to make arrangements for someone else to do the task or action on their behalf.

Causative Verb: Get
When the object of "get" does the action of the second verb, the second verb must be a full infinitive (infinitive with to).


Form

Active: Subject + get + object (person) + full infinitive

Passive: Subject + get + object (thing) + past participle 

Examples:

Active: She got her brother to wash her car.
Passive: She got her car washed by her brother .
Active: He got the plumber to fix the leaking faucet.
Passive: He got the leaking faucet fixed by the plumber.
Active: They got their children to finish their homework before dinner.
Passive: They got their homework finished by their children before dinner.
Active: The manager got the employees to attend the training session.
Passive: The manager got the training session attended by the employees.
Active: She got her friend to lend her some money for the trip.
Passive: She got some money lent by her friend for the trip.
Active: He got his parents to buy him a new bike.
Passive: He got him a new bike bought by his parents. 
Active: They got the chef to prepare a special dish for the event.
Passive: They got a special dish prepared for the event by the chef.
In each of these examples, "get" is used as a causative verb to indicate that the subject has taken some action or made an effort to achieve the result of having someone else do the task or action.

 

Some verbs are not actually causative, but they follow the pattern of causative verbs. Here are some examples:


Help

  1. The mechanic helped the customer fix the car engine.
  2. I will help you prepare for the exam tomorrow.
  3. He helped his sister bake a delicious cake for her birthday.
  4. They helped their elderly neighbor carry groceries into the house.
  5. The team captain helped his teammates improve their performance.
  6. She helped her colleague learn how to use the new software.
  7. The volunteer group helped the community clean up after the storm.
  8. The nurse helped the patient walk after the surgery.

In each of these examples, "help" is used to indicate that the subject (she, mechanic, I, etc.) is assisting or aiding someone else (friend, customer, you, etc.) in performing the action (move, fix, prepare, etc.).

Cause

  1. The teacher's explanation caused the students to understand the complex concept.
  2. The new policy caused the company's profits to increase significantly.
  3. Her absence caused the team to lose the crucial match.
  4. The loud noise caused the baby to start crying.
  5. The controversial decision caused a public outcry and protests.
  6. The virus outbreak caused widespread panic and concern.

In each of these examples, "cause" is used to express that the subject (heavy rain, reckless driving, faulty wiring, etc.) is the reason or source of an effect or outcome, resulting in someone or something else performing the action (overflow, catch fire, understand, etc.). While "cause" can be used causatively, it is often more commonly used to describe the reason behind an event or situation rather than directly indicating the act of making or forcing someone to do something.

Force

  1. The storm forced us to cancel the outdoor event.
  2. The new regulations force companies to comply with stricter environmental standards.
  3. The kidnapper forced the victim to reveal their passwords.
  4. The economic crisis forced the government to implement austerity measures.
  5. The severe weather conditions forced the hikers to seek shelter.
  6. The company's financial difficulties forced them to lay off some employees.
  7. The lack of evidence forced the prosecutor to drop the charges.
  8. The traffic jam forced him to take an alternative route to work.
  9. The parents forced their children to apologize for their behavior.
  10. The strong winds forced the pilot to divert the flight to another airport.

In each of these examples, "force" is used to indicate that the subject (storm, regulations, kidnapper, etc.) compels (us, companies, victim, etc.) to perform the action (cancel, comply, reveal, etc.). The subject exerts pressure or influence to make the other person do the task or action, often against their will or desire.

Persuade

  1. She persuaded her friend to join the dance class with her.
  2. The salesperson persuaded the customer to buy the latest model of the smartphone.
  3. He persuaded his parents to let him go on the school trip.
  4. The coach persuaded the athlete to compete in the upcoming tournament.
  5. They persuaded their neighbors to support the community cleanup initiative.
  6. The manager persuaded the team to accept the new project proposal.
  7. The lawyer persuaded the jury to acquit the defendant.
  8. She persuaded her colleagues to attend the conference with her.
  9. The teacher persuaded the students to participate in the school play.
  10. The environmentalist persuaded the government to implement stricter pollution controls.

In each of these examples, "persuade" is used to indicate that the subject (she, salesperson, coach, etc.) convinced or influenced someone else (friend, customer, athlete, etc.) to perform the action (join, buy, compete, etc.). The subject uses reasoning, arguments, or appeals to make the other person do the task or action willingly.

Compel

  1. The teacher's enthusiasm compelled the students to engage in the lesson.
  2. The judge compelled the witness to testify under oath.
  3. The strong evidence compelled the suspect to confess to the crime.
  4. The company's policy compels employees to attend regular training sessions.
  5. His love for music compelled him to learn to play multiple instruments.
  6. The humanitarian crisis compelled people around the world to donate to the cause.
  7. The threat of severe weather compelled the organizers to cancel the outdoor event.
  8. The charity's mission compelled volunteers to dedicate their time to helping others.
  9. The doctor's warning compelled the patient to quit smoking.

In each of these examples, "compel" is used to indicate that the subject (urgency, teacher's enthusiasm, judge, etc.) forced or compelled someone else (him, students, witness, etc.) to perform the action (act, engage, testify, etc.). The subject exerts strong pressure or influence to make the other person do the task or action, often leaving them with little choice but to comply.

Encourage

  1. The coach encouraged the team to give their best performance in the match.
  2. She encouraged her friend to apply for the job she had always wanted.
  3. The teacher encouraged the students to ask questions during the class.
  4. The parents encouraged their children to pursue their passions and dreams.
  5. The manager encouraged the employees to participate in the company's volunteer program.
  6. The mentor encouraged the mentee to take on new challenges to grow professionally.
  7. The government encouraged citizens to save energy and reduce their carbon footprint.
  8. The speaker encouraged the audience to get involved in community initiatives.
  9. The principal encouraged the students to participate in the school's talent show.
  10. The charity organization encouraged people to donate to help those in need.

In each of these examples, "encourage" is used to indicate that the subject (coach, she, teacher, etc.) motivated or inspired someone else (team, friend, students, etc.) to perform the action (give, apply, ask, etc.). The subject provides support, positivity, or motivation to make the other person feel confident or willing to do the task or action.

Let

  1. She let her friend borrow her favorite book.
  2. The parents let their children stay up late on weekends.
  3. He let his colleague use his computer for the presentation.
  4. They let their dog run freely in the backyard.
  5. She let her brother drive her car to the grocery store.
  6. The teacher let the students choose their own group for the project.
  7. He let his roommate have the last slice of pizza.
  8. They let their guests camp in the backyard during the summer.
  9. The landlord let the tenants paint the walls a different color.

In each of these examples, "let" is used to indicate that the subject (she, parents, manager, etc.) permitted or allowed someone else (friend, children, employees, etc.) to perform the action (borrow, stay, use, etc.). The subject gave permission or granted the opportunity for someone else to do the task or action.

Allow

  1. The teacher allowed the students to use calculators during the exam.
  2. The manager allowed the employees to work from home on Fridays.
  3. The parents allowed their children to go to the amusement park.
  4. The museum allows visitors to take photographs of the exhibits.
  5. The security guard allowed the visitors to enter the building after checking their IDs.
  6. The new policy allows employees to take up to two weeks of paid leave.
  7. The airline allows passengers to carry one small bag on board.
  8. The park allows people to bring their pets as long as they are on a leash.
  9. The restaurant allows customers to customize their meals.
  10. The school allows students to participate in extracurricular activities.

In each of these examples, "allow" is used to indicate that the subject (teacher, manager, parents, etc.) gives permission or grants the opportunity for someone else (students, employees, children, etc.) to perform the action (use, work, go, etc.). The subject allows or permits the other person to do the task or action.

Permit

  1. The supervisor permitted the employees to take a longer lunch break.
  2. The landlord permits the tenants to have pets in the apartment.
  3. The school permits students to bring their own laptops for classes.
  4. The museum permits photography, but without flash.
  5. The company permits employees to work remotely on occasion.
  6. The park permits camping only in designated areas.
  7. The event organizer permits participants to register on the day of the event.
  8. The city permits food trucks to operate in certain downtown areas.
  9. The teacher permits students to use reference materials during the test.
  10. The library permits patrons to borrow up to ten books at a time.

In each of these examples, "permit" is used to indicate that the subject (supervisor, landlord, school, etc.) allows or gives permission to someone else (employees, tenants, students, etc.) to perform the action (take, have, bring, etc.). The subject grants the right or privilege to the other person to do the task or action.