What is a Causative Verb?

Causative or Causal verbs constitute different forms of the verbs Have, Get and Make which affect the sense of causation when used with other main verbs.

The subject of a causal causes somebody else (the agent) to do something in the following ways:

  1. by convincing or requesting;
  2. by paying some money, etc.; or
  3. by forcing or persuading.

Here, Have (in all its forms) indicates convincing or requesting; Get (in all its forms)
indicates payment of money, etc.; and Make (in all its forms) indicates forcing or persuading.

Examples:

  1. I have my mother iron my school uniform.
  2. I have my school uniform ironed by my Mother.
  3. Henry gets a watch mechanic to repair her watch.
  4. Henry gets her watch repaired by a watch mechanic.
  5. The teacher made the kids sketch the Taj.

Try aiPDF, our new AI assistant for students and researchers

X