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The Causative – to have something done (8th form)

[ We use the expression ‘to have something done’ ( have + object + past participle) to say:
 That somebody does something for you. Usually they’re things that are difficult to do yourself or you
don’t want to do yourself.
 That something unpleasant happened to somebody.

[ Questions and negations of the verb have are formed with do/does or did.

[ We can use the verb get instead of the verb have only in informal conversation.

Present simple He paints the house He has the house painted.

Present continuous He is painting the house. He is having the house painted.
Past simple He painted the house. He had the house painted.
Past continuous He was painting the house. He was having the house painted.
Future simple He will paint the house. He will have the house painted.
Future continuous He will be painting the house. He will be having the house painted.
Present perfect He has painted the house. He has had the house painted.
Present perfect continuous He has been painting the house. He has been having the house painted.
Past perfect He had painted the house. He had had the house painted.
Past perfect continuous He had been painting the house. He had been having the house painted.
Infinitive He must paint the house. He must have the house painted.
-ing form It’s worth painting the house. It’s worth having the house painted.

PRACTICE

Test 3. Rewrite these sentences using ‘ to have something done’

1) They serviced Ken’s car yesterday. – Ken had the car serviced yesterday
2) They’re repairing our roof at the moment. – We are having our roof repaired at the moment
3) They’re going to fit a stereo in my car. –I’m going to have a stereo fitted in my car
[4)] Someone cleans Sue’s flat once a week. –Sue hahasd the flat cleaned once a week
[5)] Has anyone tested your eyes recently? –Have you didhad your eyes tested recently?
4)[6)] Someone stole John’s briefcase last week. –John had his briefcase stolen last week
[7)] Someone cleans her house. – She hahasd her house cleaned
[8)] Someone cooks her meals. –She hashad her meals cooked
[9)] Someone washes her clothes. –She hashad her clothes washed
[10)] Somebody cleans her windows. –She hashad her windows cleaned
[11)] Somebody serviced her car. –She hashad her car serviced
[12)] Somebody does her shopping. –She hsdhad her shopping ddoneid
[13)] Somebody looks after her garden. –She hashad her garden looked after
[14)] Somebody posts her letters. –She hashad her letters posted
[15)] Their windows need to be cleaned. –They had their windows needed.They need had the windows cleaned
5)[16)] The hairdresser was styling Mrs Brown’s hair. –Mrs Brown was having her hair styled.
[17)] She told her son to carry the shopping to the house. – She told her son had the shopping carried. She had the
shopping carried to the house by her son.
[18)] Dad is going to arrange for someone to cut the grass . –Dad is going to hadhave the grass cut.
[19)] They used to employ a cleaner who cleaned the house. –They used to hahaved a cleaner employed who clean
the house.
[20)] Did the mechanic repair Paul’s motorbike? –Did Paul haved his motorbike repaired?

Test 4. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE

[1)] His teeth are checked twice a year... He hashad his teeth checked twice a year
1)[2)] Her skirt is being cleaned at the moment... She is having her skirt cleaned at the moment
[3)] My hair is trimmed once a month... I hahaved my hair trimmed once a month
[4)] Central heating is going to be installed in our house next month... Central heating is going to being on our house
installed we are goint to have central heating installed in our house next month.
2)[5)] Sam’s burglar alarm was fitted last week... Sam had his burglar alarm fitted las week.
[6)] My car is being repaired at the moment... It’s had being my car repair. I'm having my car repaired at the moment.
[7)] The band’s new single has just been recorded... The band has just had the new single recorded.had had the new
single recorded
[8)] Our new furniture is going to be delivered tomorrow... It’s having our new furniture delivered We are going to
have our new furniture delivered tomorrow.
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[9)] Their new house is being decorated at the moment... They are having their new house decorated at the moment.
It’s had been having their new house decorated
The windows will be cleaned... We will have the windows cleaned. It’s will have the windows cleaned

Test 5. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE

[1)] A new jumper has been knitted for me… I hahaved been a new jumper knitted.
[2)] The lock has to be fixed… I have the lock fixed.It’s had to be the lock fixed
1)[3)] A new pair of glasses is going to be made for him… He had going to a new pair of glasses made// He is going t
have a new pair of glasses made.
[4)] Their windows need to be cleaned… They need to have their windows cleaned. had the windows cleaned
2)[5)] The hairdresser was styling Mrs Brown’s hair... Mrs brown was having her hair styled by the hairdresser.
[6)] She told her son to carry the shopping to the house... She told her son had the shopping carried She had the
shopping carried to the house by her son.
[7)] Dad is going to arrange for someone to cut the grass… Dad is going to haved the grass cut.
[8)] They used to employ a cleaner who cleaned the house...They used to haved the house cleaned by a cleaner. a
cleaner employed
[9)] Did the mechanic repair Paul’s motorbike? Did Paul have his motorbike repaired by the mechanic?Did Paul’s
motorbike repair?
[10)] The boss asked his assistant to type the letter... The boss asked his assistant to type the letter. The boss had the
letter typed

Test 6. Rewrite the sentence using HAVE SOMETHING DONE

1) A plumber fixed the dripping tap for Joe… Joe had the dripping tap fixed by a plumber.
[2)] Have you told the secretary to make some photocopies?... Have you had the secretary make some photocopies?
Did some photocopies make?
2)[3)] The chef was cooking Tom’s lunch… Tom was having his lunch cooked by the chef.
[4)] Did you tell the shop to deliver the sofa to you?... Did have the shopping the sofa deliver? Did you have the sofa
delivered by the shop?
[5)] My purse was stolen last Friday. …. I had my purse stolen last Friday. I have had my purse stolen
[6)] Did you employ a painter to decorate your house?... Did you have a painter employ? Did you have your house
decorated by a painter?
[7)] The builders are putting a new roof on Adam’s house at the moment…. Adam’s house is having a new roof
putted Adam is having a new roof put on his house by the builders at the moment.
[8)] She asked the maid to polish the silver. … She had the maid polish the silver. She asked to have the maid
polished
[9)] The man had asked the porter to take his luggage to his room…. The man had had the porter take his luggage to
his room. his luggage portered
3)[10)] Did you ask Jenny to arrange the flowers for you? …Did have the flowers arranged by Jenny?

Test 7. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE

1) When will your glasses be made?... When will have your glasses made?
2) I hired a professional to cater for my party…. I have my party catered by a professional.
[3)] Did you ask anyone to sweep the chimney?... Did you have the chimney swept? Did you asked to have the
chimney sweeped?
[4)] She asked him to do the shopping…. She asked to have the shopping done She had the shopping done by him.
[5)] Their house was burgled last night. …They had the house burgled They had their house burgled last night.
[6)] He employed a carpenter to build the fence…. He had a carpenter employed He had the fence built by a
carpenter.
[7)] Julie’s housekeeper irons all her clothes….. Julie hasd her clothes ironed by her housekeeper.
3)[8)] His shop’s windows were smashed in the riot…. His shop had the windows smashed He had his shop's
windows smashed in the riot.
4)[9)] Pete must have sent this letter. …Pete must have had this letter sent
5)[10)] He should plant some more flowers. …He should have some more flower planted

Test 8. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE

[1)] The hairdresser is cutting my hair on Tuesday… I am having my hair cutted on Tuesday.
1)[2)] Did a professional make the cake for you? ….Did you have the cake made by a professional?
2)[3)] Somebody stole my car last weekend. …I had my car stolen last weekend.
[4)] An electrician fitted the new lights for Sandra…. Sandra had thea new lights fitted by an electrician.
[5)] The woman had asked the waiter to bring the bill to the table…. The woman had had the bill bringed he woman
had the bill brought to the table by the waiter.
3)[6)] They employed a plumber to fit the shower. ….They had the shower fitted by a plumber.
[7)] Have you asked the secretary to fax the contract to Mr Brown?... Did Mr Brown have the contract faxed? Have
you had the contract faxed to Mr. Brown by the secretary?
4)[8)] Alan’s mum washes all his clothes. …Alan had his clothes washed by his mum.
5)[9)] The mechanic at the garage serviced their car. …They have their car serviced by the mechanic at the garage.
[10)] He told the student to clean the blackboard…. The have the blackboard cleaned He had the blackboard cleaned
by the student.

Test 9. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE

1. My windows are cleaned twice a month…. I have my windows cleaned twice a month,
[2.] The star’s latest film has just been released. …..The star has had their latest film released. have just been the film
released
2.[3.] Their swimming pool will be drained….. They will have their swimming pool drained
[4.] The carpets must be laid in our flat by Monday. ….Our flat must have the carpet laid We must have the carpets
laid in our flat by Monday.
[5.] The brakes on my bike have been oiled….. My bike had had the brakes oiled I have had the brakes on my bike
oiled.
3.[6.] Our desks are being painted at the moment. ….We are having our desk painted at the moment.
4.[7.] Her bookcase was delivered last week…. She had her bookcase delivered last week.
5.[8.] A new computer has been ordered for me. ….I have had a new computer ordered for me.
6.[9.] Annie’s sculptures are going to be exhibited tomorrow….. Annie is going to have her sculptures exhibited
tomorrow.
7.[10.] A skateboard was being made for Tim. ….Tim is having a skateboard made for him.

Test 10. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE

[1)] Holly is going to ask Mary to sew her dress. ….Mary is going to have her dress sewed Holly is going to have her
dress sewn by Mary.
[2)] Someone has tidied the garden for Mark. …Mark has had thehis garden tidied
[3)] When will they fix his telephone? ….Did they his telephone fixed? When will he have his telephone fixed?
1)[4)] Pat pays someone to clean the windows every week…. Pat had the windows cleaned every week.
[5)] Can you tell someone to move those boxes?... Did those boxes move? Can you have those boxes moved?
[6)] When will they deliver Dan’s sofa? …Did they Dan’s sofa delivered? When will Dan have his sofa delivered?
[7)] Howard should ask someone to deliver the package. …..Howard should ask to have the package delivered .
[8)] When will you service the car? …..Did you the car service? When will you have the car serviced?
[9)] Pay someone to make the curtains for you. …You had the curtains made Have the curtains made for you.
2)[10)] Someone has shortened Alice’s skirt…. Alice has had her skirt shortened.

Mari: pay attention to the time expressions or the adverbs on the original sentences because you MUST include them
on the new version of the HAVE SOMETHING DONE SENTENCE 😊 Also, pay attention to the tense of the
original sentence and remember to use the same tense in your new version. Don’t forget to use the WH- question
word of the original sentence in your new version, too.