Question 1

What is the most common causative mistake?

Accepted Answer

The most common mistake is using the base verb or past tense after the object instead of the past participle. In "I had my car repaired", "repaired" describes the service done to the car. Learners often write "I had my car repair" because they remember the base verb, or "I had my wallet stole" because they remember the past simple. The correction is to use the past participle: repaired, checked, stolen, written, fixed, or cleaned.

Question 2

When do I use have someone do and get someone to do?

Accepted Answer

Use "have someone do something" when you arrange, instruct, or ask someone to do an action: "I had the assistant print the forms." Use "get someone to do something" when the structure includes persuasion, arrangement, or effort: "We got the supplier to resend the order." The important form difference is the "to" after get. Write "got him to help", not "got him help". With "have", use the base verb without "to": "had him help".

Question 3

How can I tell a service causative from a normal active sentence?

Accepted Answer

Look at who does the action. In a normal active sentence, the subject performs the action: "I repaired the bike" means I did the repair. In a service causative, the subject arranges the result: "I had the bike repaired" means someone else repaired it for me. This exercise gives context such as mechanics, dentists, cleaners, technicians, and managers so that the causative meaning is clear. Do not change an already correct active sentence unless the sentence clearly intends a causative structure.

Causative Error Correction

Quick Rule

Continue Practising

Transformation Easy

Transformation Intermediate

Transformation Advanced

-ed vs -ing Adjectives

Conditionals

Present Perfect