The Causative - to have something done (8' 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.
PRACTICE
Test 3. Rewrite these sentences using ' to have something done '
1) They serviced Ken's car yesterday. – Ken had his 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 (fit) in
my car.
4) Someone cleans Sue's flat once a week. – Sue has her flat cleaned once a week.
5) Has anyone tested your eyes recently? -Have you had your eyes tested recently?
6) Someone stole John's briefcase last week. –John had his briefcase stolen last
week.
7) Someone cleans her house. – She has her house cleaned.
8) Someone cooks her meals. – She has her meal cooked.
9) Someone washes her clothes. – She has her clothes washed.
10) Somebody cleans her windows. – She has her windows cleaned.
11) Somebody serviced her car. –She had her car serviced.
12) Somebody does her shopping. – She has her shopping done.
13) Somebody looks after her garden. –She has her garden looked after.
14) Somebody posts her letters. – She has her letters posted.
15) Their windows need to be cleaned. - They need to have their windows cleaned.
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 to have
the shopping carried to the house.
18) Dad is going to arrange for someone to cut the grass. -Dad is going to have the
grass arranged to cut.
19) They used to employ a cleaner who cleaned the house. -They used to have the
house cleaned.
20) Did the mechanic repair Paul's motorbike? -Did Paul have his motorbike
repaired?
Test 4. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE
1) His teeth are checked twice a year. – He has his teeth checked twice a year.
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’m has my hair trimmed once a month.
4) Central heating is going to be installed in our house next month. - We are going
to have central heating installed in our house next month.
5) Sam's burglar alarm was fitted last week. – Sam had a burglar alarm fitted last
week.
6) My car is being repaired at the moment. – I’m having my car repaired at the
moment.
7) The band's new single has just been recorded. – The band has just had their new
single recorded.
8) Our new furniture is going to be delivered tomorrow. - We are going to have
our new furniture delivered tomorrow.
9) Their new house is being decorated at the moment. – They are having their new
house decorated at the moment.
10) The windows will be cleaned. – We will have the windows cleaned.
Test 5. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE
1) A new jumper has been knitted for me. - I have had a new jumper knitted.
2) The lock has to be fixed. – We have to have the lock fixed.
3) A new pair of glasses is going to be made for him. – He is going to have a new
pair of glasses made.
4) Their windows need to be cleaned. – They need to have their windows cleaned.
5) The hairdresser was styling Mrs Brown's hair. - Mrs Brown was having her hair
styled.
6) She told her son to carry the shopping to the house. - She told her son to have
the shopping carried to the house.
7) Dad is going to arrange for someone to cut the grass. - Dad is going to have the
grass arranged to cut.
8) They used to employ a cleaner who cleaned the house. - They used to have the
house cleaned.
9) Did the mechanic repair Paul's motorbike? - Did Paul have his motorbike
repaired?
10) The boss asked his assistant to type the letter. - The boss asked to have the
letter typed.
Test 6. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE
1) A plumber fixed the dripping tap for Joe. – Joe had the dripping tap fixed.
2) Have you told the secretary to make some photocopies? – Have you had some
photocopies made?
3) The chef was cooking Tom's lunch. - Tom was having his lunch cooked.
4) Did you tell the shop to deliver the sofa to you? – Did you have the sofa
delivered?
5) My purse was stolen last Friday. – I had my purse stolen.
6) Did you employ a painter to decorate your house? - Did you have your house
decorated?
7) The builders are putting a new roof on Adam's house at the moment. – Adam is
having a new roof put on at the moment.
8) She asked the maid to polish the silver. – She asked to have the silver polished.
9) The man had asked the porter to take his luggage to his room. - The man had his
luggage had taken to his room.
10) Did you ask Jenny to arrange the flowers for you? – Did you have the flowers
arranged?
Test 7. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE
1) When will your glasses be made? – When will you have your glasses made?
2) I hired a professional to cater for my party. – I had my party catered for.
3) Did you ask anyone to sweep the chimney? – Did you have the chimney swept?
4) She asked him to do the shopping. - She had the shopping done.
5) Their house was burgled last night. – They had their house burgled last night.
6 He employed a carpenter to build the fence. – He had the fence built.
7) Julie's housekeeper irons all her clothes. - Julie has all her clothes ironed.
8) His shop's windows were smashed in the riot. – He had his shop’s windows
smashed in the riot.
9) Pete must have sent this letter. – Pete must have had this letter sent.
10) He should plant some more flowers. - He should have some more flowers
planted.
Test 8. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE
1) The hairdresser is cutting my hair on Tuesday. - I am having my hair cut on
Tuesday.
2) Did a professional make the cake for you? - Did you have the cake made?
3) Somebody stole my car last weekend. - I had my car stolen last week.
4) An electrician fitted the new lights for Sandra. - Sandra had the new lights fitted.
5) The woman had asked the waiter to bring the bill to the table. - The woman had
had the bill brought to the table.
6) They employed a plumber to fit the shower. - They had the shower fitted.
7) Have you asked the secretary to fax the contract to Mr Brown? - Have you had
the contract faxed to Mr. Brown?
8) Alan's mum washes all his clothes. - Alan has all his clothes washed.
9) The mechanic at the garage serviced their car. - They had the car serviced at the
garage.
10) He told the student to clean the blackboard. - He had the blackboard cleaned.
Test 9. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE
1. My windows are cleaned twice a month. - I have windows cleaned twice a month.
2. The star's latest film has just been released. - The star has just had the film released.
3. Their swimming pool will be drained. - They will have the swimming pool drained.
4. The carpets must be laid in our flat by Monday. - We must have the carpets laid in our
flat by Monday.
5. The brakes on my bike have been oiled. - I have had the brakes on my bike oiled.
6. Our desks are being painted at the moment. - We are having our desk painted.
7. Her bookcase was delivered last week. - She had her bookcase delivered last week.
8. A new computer has been ordered for me. - I have had a new computer ordered.
9. Annie's sculptures are going to be exhibited tomorrow. - Annie is going to have her
sculptures exhibited tomorrow.
10. A skateboard was being made for Tim. - Tim was having a skateboard made.
Test 10. Rewrite the sentences using HAVE SOMETHING DONE
1) Holly is going to ask Mary to sew her dress.
2) Someone has tidied the garden for Mark.
3) When will they fix his telephone?
4) Pat pays someone to clean the windows every week.
5 Can you tell someone to move those boxes?
6) When will they deliver Dan's sofa?
7) Howard should ask someone to deliver the package.
8) When will you service the car?
9) Pay someone to make the curtains for you.
10) Someone has shortened Alice's skirt.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Holly is going to have her dress sewed.
Mark has had the garden tidied.
When will he have his telephone fixed?
Pat has the windows cleaned every week.
Can you have those boxed moved?
When will Dan have his sofa delivered?
Howard should have the package delivered.
When will you have your car serviced?
You should have the curtains made for you.
Alice has had her skirt shortened.