Causative form

We usually use 'have something done' when we are talking about paying someone to do something for us. It's often used for services. The form is 'subject + have + object + past participle'.

I had my car washed. John will have his house painted.

We can also use 'subject + get + object + past participle'. This has the same meaning as 'have', but is less formal.

The students get their essays checked. I'll get my hair cut next week. He got his washing machine fixed.

We can also use the construction 'subject + have + person + infinitive'. This has a very similar meaning to 'have something done', which we've already talked about, but this time we say who did the thing - we talk about the person who we asked to do the thing for us.

I had the electrician look at my broken light. The doctor will have the nurse call the patients. The teacher had the students write the answers on the whiteboard.

Finally, we can also use the construction 'get + someone + to + infinitive'. Again, this means that you cause the other person to do the action, maybe by paying them to do it, or by asking them to do it, or by persuading them to do it.

She gets her son to do his homework by promising him ice cream when he's finished. I got the cleaner to clean under the cupboards.

Sometimes, this construction has the feeling that we needed to convince someone to do something, while the other constructions on this page are neutral.