The verbs to get and to have can be used in a form called the passive causative.
The passive causative form combines the passive voice with the causative verbs.
We use the passive voice to shift the focus from the subject to the object. For example, in the sentence ‘the teacher teaches the student’, the focus is on the teacher. But you would be right in thinking that in a class the student’s learning should be the focus! So we can use the Passive Voice, and rewrite the sentence as ‘the student is taught by the teacher’. We can even omit the teacher completely, and simple say ‘the student is taught’.
Causative verbs don’t change the focus on the subject. Rather, we use them to indicate that the subject didn’t do something themselves, but hired, contracted, or otherwise convinced someone else to do it. For example, the student isn’t studying English alone. They have hired a teacher to help them. So we can say that ‘the student had the topic explained (by the teacher)’.
Let’s look at the difference between the structures:
Active to Passive Voice
Active Voice
Subject + Verb + Object
John painted the house.
Passive Voice
Object + to be + Past Participle (by Subject)
The house was painted (by John).
Regular Causative to Passive Causative
Regular Causative
Subject + Causative + Doer + Base Verb + Object
John got the plumber to fix the sink.
Passive Causative
Subject + Causative + Object + Past Participle (by Doer)
John got the sink fixed (by the plumber).
Notice that in both the regular and passive form of the causative, we begin with the subject and the causative verb. What changes is that in the passive, we then add the object, not the doer.
Try the Quiz!
Complete the Passive Causative sentences, using the correct form of to have. Omit the person who does the action.
