Get it done!
Causative verbs: have or get something done
How to use this page: open the lesson below if you need a reminder of the rules, then rewrite each sentence using the word in the box. A tick or a cross appears when you finish typing.
The lesson Click to openClick to close
1 · What it means Who actually does the job?
We use have or get + something + past participle when somebody else does a job for us. We arrange it or pay for it, but we don't do it ourselves.
I do it myself
I washed my car.
I cut my hair.
I'm painting the kitchen.
Someone does it for me
I had my car washed.
I got my hair cut.
I'm having the kitchen painted.
We often don't say who did the job, because it isn't important. If we want to, we add by: I had my car washed by my neighbour's son.
2 · How to build it Four parts, always in this order.
Watch the word order! The thing comes before the past participle. I had my hair cut means a hairdresser cut it. I had cut my hair is a different tense: it means I did it myself, earlier.
Irregular past participles: cut → cut, do → done, take → taken, mow → mowed or mown.
3 · In any tense Only have or get changes. The rest stays the same.
| Tense | with have | with get |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | I have my car washed every week. | I get my car washed every week. |
| Past simple | I had my windows cleaned. | I got my windows cleaned. |
| Future | I'll have my computer fixed. | I'll get my computer fixed. |
| Present continuous | I'm having my kitchen painted. | I'm getting my kitchen painted. |
| Present perfect | I've just had my hair cut. | I've just got my hair cut. |
| should | You should have it checked. | You should get it checked. |
| should have | I should have had an alarm fitted. | I should have got an alarm fitted. |
4 · Have or get? Usually, both are correct.
have and get mean the same thing here. Get is a little more informal and very common in everyday speech.
Things people often have done
- have your hair cut
- have your eyes tested
- have your car serviced
- have a photo taken
Things people often get done
- get your nails done
- get your passport renewed
- get your shopping delivered
- get a key copied
In the exercise, use the word in the box, and keep the same tense as the first sentence: I cleaned my windows → I had my windows cleaned.
Practice time!
Rewrite the sentences Use the word in the box: have or get. Keep the same tense.
- I wash my car every two weeks. have .
- I will fix my computer when I have enough money. have .
- I cut my hair at my favourite salon. get .
- I will clean my house before my guests arrive. get .
- I installed my new kitchen just last week. get .
- I service my car at the local garage. have .
- I cleaned my windows three weeks ago. have .
- I mow my lawn when the grass gets too long. get .
- I should renew my passport before I go on holiday. get .
- I will replace the windscreen on my old car before I sell it. have .
- I modernised my heating system last winter. have .
- I will check my car brakes before we do our road trip. get .
- I always deliver my groceries to my house. get .
- I should have installed an alarm system years ago! have !
- I moved my antique furniture into my new house. get .
Answers
1. I have my car washed every two weeks. · 2. I will have my computer fixed when I have enough money. · 3. I got my hair cut at my favourite salon. · 4. I will get my house cleaned before my guests arrive. · 5. I got my new kitchen installed just last week. · 6. I have my car serviced at the local garage. · 7. I had my windows cleaned three weeks ago. · 8. I get my lawn mowed when the grass gets too long. · 9. I should get my passport renewed before I go on holiday. · 10. I will have the windscreen on my old car replaced before I sell it. · 11. I had my heating system modernised last winter. · 12. I will get my car brakes checked before we do our road trip. · 13. I always get my groceries delivered to my house. · 14. I should have had an alarm system installed years ago! · 15. I got my antique furniture moved into my new house.