IDIOMA I (INGLÉS)

UNIT 12. HAVE SOMETHING DONE. EXERCISE

- Structure:

Subject have noun past participle

I have my hair cut every month

The hotel has the windows cleaned regularly

- Use:

We use have something done to say that we arrange for somebody else to do
something for us.

Examples:
She's having her house redecorated.
The hotel has the windows cleaned regularly
We have just had the house painted
They had the roof replaced two years ago

In informal English, we can replace 'have' by 'get'.

Examples:
We're getting a new telephone system installed.
They will be getting the system repaired as quickly as they can.
I got the bill sent direct to the company.

Sometimes ‘have something done’ has a different meaning.

Example:
Thomas and Mary had all their money stolen while they were on holiday.

UNIT 12. HAVE SOMETHING DONE. EXERCISE 1

Of course this does not mean that they have arranged for somebody to steal their
money. ‘They had all their money stolen’ means only: ‘All their money was stolen from
them.’
With this meaning, we use ‘have something done’ to say that something happens to
somebody or their belongings. Usually what happens is not nice.

George had his nose broken in a fight.

Have you ever had your passport stolen?

Exercise 1: Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences. Use the
structure ‘have something done’:

1. We ____________________________ last year. It cost us a packet. (the

roof/repair)
2. I ____________________________ three times a year. (the
brakes/check)
3. The government ____________________________. (the whole
town/evacuate)
4. After the plague of fleas, the boss ____________________________ .
(the office/disinfect)
5. Your cat is coughing. You need to ____________________________ for
parasites. (him/treat)
6. The house is in chaos. We ____________________________ in at the
moment. (a new kitchen/put)
7. I lost my key. I’ll have to ____________________________ (another
key/make).
8. If you want to wear earrings, why don’t you ________________________
(your ears/pierce)?
9. Can I see the photos you took when you were on holiday?
I’m afraid I ____________________________ (not/the film/develop)
yet.
10. What are those men doing in your garden?
Oh, we ____________________________ . (a swimming pool/build)

UNIT 12. HAVE SOMETHING DONE. EXERCISE 2