HAVE / GET SOMETHING DONE (Pattern & Exercise)

HAVE / GET SOMETHING DONE
[Causative Form)

have /get + object + past participle

This sentence pattern is a mixture of active and passive; use `get` if the subject causes the action to be done. Both `have` and `get` something done can be used to express the following ideas:

• when the subject of have /get does not do the action; someone else (usually someone who is paid to do it) does the action for the subject
• to say that something unpleasant happened to the subject; more usual to use `have` in this pattern
• to say that the subject completes an action rather than leaving it in the middle or leaving it until later;more usual to use `get` in this pattern

Examples:
- I’m going to have / get m y hair cut tomorrow.
- I’m having /getting my car repaired at the moment.
- You should have /get your eyes tested.
- She had her bag stolen last week.
- He had his leg broken in the accident.
- I must get this job done today.
- Let’s get the house tidied and then we can go out.

PRACTICE

Rewrite these sentences using the correct form of have and get and the correct form of the verb in brackets. In some answers, both have and get can be used; in others, only one of them is possible.

1. Workers collect our rubbish twice a week. (collect)
We ..................................................................................
2. If you finish all your work early, you can go home early. (finish)
If you ...............................................................................
3. The airline changed my flight for me yesterday. (change)
I ......................................................................................
4. We will have to arrange for someone to replace that broken window. (replace)
We will have to ...............................................................
5. An engineer repaired my computer a couple of weeks ago. (repair)
I ......................................................................................


6 A well-known designer made the dress for her. (make)
She....................................................................................
7. A professional cleaner cleans their house for them. (clean)
They..................................................................................
8. A local hairdresser does her hair once a month. (do)
She....................................................................................
9. My passport will expire soon. (renew)
I’ll have to ........................................................................
10. I solved the problem as quickly as I could. (solve)
I ..................................................................................
11. Someone broke into his car last week. (break into)
He ...................................................................................
12. A national newspaper published his letter. (publish)
He ...................................................................................
13. A company is going to develop these photographs for me next week. (develop)
I’m going to ....................................................................
14. Let’s do the washing-up now. (do)
Let`s..................................................................................

ANSWER KEY

1. have/get our rubbish collected twice a week
2. get all your work finished early you can go home early
3. had/got my flight changed yesterday
4. have/get that broken window replaced
5. had/got my computer repaired a couple of weeks ago
6. had/got the dress made by a well-known designer
7. have/get their house cleaned by a professional cleaner
8. has/gets her hair done by a local hairdresser once a month
9. have/get my passport renewed soon
10. got the problem solved as quickly as I could
11. had his car broken into last week
12. had/got his letter published in a national newspaper
13. have/get these photographs developed nest week
14. get the washing up done now