Causative Verbs

Causative Sentences in active voice

 What did they do?

She cut her own hair He asked the barber to cut his hair
He had the barber cut his hair
This is a causative verb
 Causative Sentences
In English, Causative verbs are used to describe situations in
which the subject doesn’t do the action, but instead starts the
action or causes it to happen. The action is done by another
person, called The Agent of the action. The action is, of course,
expressed by the main verb.

S + CAUSATIVE VERB + AGENT + MAIN VERB + C

They had the waiter bring the food.

There are four different causative verbs:
HAVE: Expresses that the subject pays for the action or asks the agent a favor.
MAKE: Expresses that the subject forces the agent to do the action.
LET: Expresses that the subject give permission to the agent to do the action.
HELP: Expresses that the subject assists the agent in doing the action.

I had María check the reports  I asked María to check the reports. // I pay María to check the reports.
I made María check the reports  I forced María to check the reports.
I let María check the reports  María wanted to check the reports. I gave her permission to do it.
I helped María check the reports  I assisted María when she checked the reports.
It’s important to note that in Causative Sentences, the Causative verb conjugates to
match the desired Verbal tense. The Causative verb contains the auxiliary of the
sentence.
The boys have their father drive them to the park on Fridays.
The boys are having their father drive them to the park now.
The boys had their father drive them to the park last week.
The boys have had their father drive them to the park before.
The boys will have their father drive them to the park tomorrow.
The boys were having their father drive them to the park when the car broke down.
The boys had been having their father drive them to the park for two weeks.
The boys would have their father drive them to the park everyday if possible.

In every case, only the conjugation of the verb have (the causative verb)
indicates the verbal tense of the sentence.
Similarly, to express a negative idea, the Causative verb takes the negative form.

We don’t have the barista make us coffee in the afternoon.

We aren’t having the barista make us coffee right now.
We didn’t have the barista make us coffee yesterday.
We haven’t had the barista make us coffee in a while.
We won’t have the barista make us coffee tonight.
We haven’t been having the barista make us coffee in over the last two months.
We weren’t having the barista make us coffee when you called us.
We can’t have the barista make us coffee instantly.
Finally, to express a question, the auxiliary contained in the Causative verb changes
places with the subject.

Does Mrs. Valdez have Enrique mow the lawn every Saturday?
Did Mrs. Valdez have Enrique mow the lawn last Saturday?
Is Mrs. Valdez having Enrique mow the lawn right now?
Will Mrs. Valdez have Enrique mow the lawn next Saturday?
Has Mrs. Valdez had Enrique mow the lawn recently?
Has Mrs. Valdez been having Enrique mow the lawn over the last few months?
Should Mrs. Valdez have Enrique mow the lawn today?

Interrogative words can be added as needed, as well.

How often does Mrs. Valdez have Enrique mow the lawn?
How long ago did Mrs. Valdez have Enrique mow the lawn?
What is Mrs. Valdez having Enrique do right now?