Causative Have/Get
Look at this sample situation:
A conversation between two friends:
Lara: You look different today! Did you cut your hair yourself?
Mia: No way! I had it cut at the new salon near the station.
Lara: It looks great! I'm getting mine done there next week, too.
Mia: You should! You can also get your nails done for free if you book a haircut.
You can see from these examples that the causative have/get is used when we arrange for someone else to do something for us (usually an expert) not when we do it ourselves.
I had it cut.
means someone else (a hairdresser) cut it for me.
I’m getting mine done.
means someone else (a stylist) will do it for me.
Meaning
The causative is used when someone else performs a service or action for us. We focus on the service/arrangement, not on the person who actually does the job.
I had my hair coloured yesterday.
means the hairdresser coloured it for me.
She’s getting her nails done this afternoon.
means someone else is doing it.
The causative have can also be used for accidents or misfortune:
He had his hair dryer stolen at the gym.
means it was taken from him, not by choice.
Common Uses
Beauty or personal care services:
I get my hair cut and my eyebrows done at the same salon.
Repairs and maintenance:
I had my phone screen fixed after I dropped it.
Administrative tasks:
We’re getting our passports renewed next week.
Negative experiences:
She had her bag stolen while she was paying at the counter.
Structure
Have/get something done
Subject + correct form of have/get + object + past participle
Verb Form | Active Voice | Causative Form |
Present Simple | We paint the house every year. | We have/get the house painted every year. |
Present Progressive | Beth is washing her car. | Beth is having/getting her car washed. |
Past Simple | He typed three letters yesterday. | He had/got three letters typed yesterday. |
Past Progressive | She was cleaning the carpet when I arrived. | She was having/getting the carpet cleaned when I arrived. |
Future (will) | We will install the lights next week. | We will have/get the lights installed next week. |
Future Progressive | I’ll be planting some trees in the garden tomorrow morning. | I’ll be having/getting some trees planted in the garden tomorrow morning. |
Present Perfect Simple | The girls have repaired their bicycles. | The girls have had/got their bicycles repaired. |
Present Perfect Progressive | We’ve been importing clothes from Italy since we opened the shop. | We’ve been having/getting clothes imported from Italy since we opened the shop. |
Past Perfect Simple | He had organised the meeting before I called. | He had had/got the meeting organised before I called. |
Past Perfect Progressive | They had been photocopying a book when the manager arrived. | They had been having/getting a book photocopied when the manager arrived. |
Present Infinitive | He managed to repair the roof. | He managed to have/get the roof repaired. |
-ing Form | I remember taking my blood pressure. | I remember having/getting my blood pressure taken. |
Modal Verbs | You should fix the leakage in the tank. | You should have/get the leakage in the tank fixed. |
Imperative | Clean the table, please. | Have/Get the table cleaned, please. |
Negative and question forms use the right auxiliary verbs depending on the tense:
I had/got my watch fixed yesterday.
is the past simple affirmative.
I didn't have/get my watch fixed yesterday.
is the past simple negative.
Did you have/get your watch fixed yesterday?
is the past simple question.
Note: When you want or it's relevant or important to say who did the action, we can add by + person:
I had my hair cut by a new stylist.
They got their make-up done by a professional artist.
Difference between Have and Get
They mean the same thing, but get is more informal and more common in spoken English.
Compare:
I had my hair styled for the party.
is neutral, can be written or spoken.
I got my hair styled for the party.
is informal, conversational.
Related Forms
When we talk about persuading or convincing someone to do something, we use get + person + to + infinitive:
I got my sister to come to the salon with me.
When we talk about forcing someone to do something, we use make + person + bare infinitive:
I made my sister come to the salon with me.
Compare:
I had my sister cut my hair.
means I arranged or asked her to do it.
I got my sister to cut my hair.
means I convinced her to do it.
I made my sister cut my hair.
means I forced her to do it.
In the FCE exam
Reading and Use of English
In part 4 (Key Word Transformations) you may need to transform a sentence using have something done or get something done.
Someone broke Gary's front teeth while he was playing football.
HAD
Gary _______________________ while he was playing football.
Answer: had his front teeth broken
Betty eventually agreed to lend me her motorbike for the day.
GOT
I eventually _______________________ her motorbike for the day.
Answer: got Betty to lend me
Writing
In reviews/articles the causative is ideal for describing personal experiences or talking about services other people provided for you:
I had my hair cut at a new salon, and the result was amazing.
We got our make-up done by a professional before the photoshoot.
I had my nails done for my cousin’s wedding; they looked fantastic in the photos.
In formal writing, such as reports or formal letters, the causative could be used to describe professional arrangements or official procedures:
The company had the promotional photos taken by a specialist photographer.
Our school has had new security cameras installed recently.
The hotel had the lobby redecorated to attract more guests.
We’re planning to have the brochures printed before the conference.
The museum will have the paintings restored by experts next year.
Speaking
The causative form often appears naturally when describing routines, experiences or processes. Here are some ideas:
Part 1: Talking about habits or routines
When discussing your daily life or typical activities, you can use get/have something done to talk about regular services:
I usually get my hair cut every few months.
I have my car serviced once a year.
I sometimes get my clothes altered because I’m quite short.
We often have our house cleaned on Fridays before the weekend.
Part 2 (photo comparison): You could use the causative to explain what is being done for someone, especially in service or professional contexts:
The woman in the picture looks like she’s having her hair styled for a special occasion.
It seems that the couple are having their wedding photos taken.
The children might be having their faces painted at a fair.
Parts 3 and 4 (discussion): The causative may be useful for expressing opinions about professional services, convenience or quality. Let's see some examples:
It’s often better to have things done by professionals, especially if you want good results.
I’d rather have my hair cut at a salon than do it myself.
People prefer to get their houses cleaned by someone else because it saves time.
When it comes to repairing cars, it’s safer to have it done by an expert.
Getting things done professionally can be expensive, but the quality is worth it