We use causative verbs to talk about one person causing someone else to do something. Four common causative verbs are: have, get, make, and let.
You could say:
My mom forces me to eat vegetables.
Or you could use causative verbs and say:
My mom has me eat vegetables.
My mom gets me to eat vegetables.
My mom makes me eat vegetables.
Have
We use have as a formal way to talk about causation:
Subject + have/has/had + someone + base form of verb.
We had the server bring us an extra plate.
Subject + have/has/had + noun + past participle + by + somebody.
We had napkins brought by the server.
Get
We use get the same way as have to speak less formally, but we use the infinitive in the first instance below.
Subject + get/got + someone + to + base form of verb.
We got the server to bring us an extra plate.
Subject + get/got + noun + past participle + by + somebody.
We got napkins brought by the server.
Have to
Have to is similar in meaning to the modal auxiliary verb must.
We have to do the dishes.
We don’t have to buy groceries today.
Learn more about must and have to.
Get to
The phrasal verb to get to do something is to have permission or the ability to do something you want to do.
We get to eat all the cake we want!
We don’t get to go out to eat very often.
Let
Let is a little different from the other three, because the others have various meanings, and can be normal verbs. Let, on the other hand, only has one meaning. It indicates permission.
My mom allows/permits me to eat dessert if I eat all my vegetables first.
My mom lets me eat dessert if I eat all my vegetables first.
Try the quiz!
Try the Causative Verbs Crime Quiz!
Advanced Grammar Bonus
Have got to
We use have got to in two different ways. It is an informal way to say have to. And it can also be used to make an assertion, expressing assumption and/or incredulity.
Subject + have/has (got) to + base form of verb (Got is an optional addition.)
We have got to do the dishes. = We have to do the dishes.
We have got to work late. = We have to work late.
Let’s replace and compare have (got) to with must and should, to deepen your understanding.
Subject + have/has got to + base form of verb
The concert has got to be over by now. = I think the concert is over.
The rain has got to stop sometime. = I know that the rain will stop eventually.
You have got to be joking. = I don’t believe that you are being earnest.
Replace have/has to with must in the sentences above, to see how we can use either the modal verb must or the semi-modal verb have got to to express high probability.
Have got to can only be in the Present, not the Past or Future.
Correct: There has got to be a solution.
Incorrect: There had got to be a solution.
Incorrect: There will have got to be a solution.
To refer to times other than the Present, you can use have to.
There had to be a solution.
There will have to be a solution.
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