MODULE 3. CAUSATIVE FORM

In English, the causative form is used when we don't do something ourselves, instead we arrange for someone else to do it for us.

 

 

He painted his house (HE DID IT HIMSELF)

 

 

 

He had his house painted (HE HIRED PAINTERS TO DO IT) 

 

 

 

This is the causative form. We can use HAVE or GET. HAVE is more formal. GET is more informal: 

 

He got his house painted 

 

 

Watch this video and learn more about it: 

 

 

 

The boy is getting his hair cut

There are two verbs generally used in the passive causative form; they are Have and Get. In addition, there is usually no agent in this form; it's not like in active form which has the agent. The action verb is in the past participle, and the object comes before it. The difference between have and get in this passive causative form is that have is more formal than get. 

I have my teeth cleaned
once a year 

Pattern

Subject

Have/Get

Object

Past Participle

Examples:

• I'm going to ask someone to fix my car.
  = I'm going to have my car fixed.

• She asked John to wash the plate.
  = She got the plate washed by John.

Write the correct response, changing the ACTIVE sentences into PASSIVE CAUSATIVE FORM sentences: 
EX: Jim is sending the letter. (Jim is going to the post office)

 --> Jim is having the letter sent. (Someone else is going to the post office instead of Jim)


1. My mother changed the curtains. --> 

2. Thomas is going to wash the car. --> 

3. Maria has redesigned the web site. --> 

4. Kelly will take Mr. Brown to the beach. --> 

5. John brought the cat to the vet. --> 

6. Jane is putting the vase on the table. --> 

7. We were driving Mr. Jones to the airport. --> 

8. We fed the dog. --> 

9. We have given the money to the homeless shelter. --> 

10. Thomas cut his hair. -->

 

 

To practise more, click HERE

IMPERSONAL PASSIVE: IT IS SAID... /THEY ARE SAID...

Sometimes we do not know who did an action or it is not relevant. Then, the subject can be "PEOPLE" or "THEY" with an active verb:

a) People say that these actors are handsome. 

b) They say that these actors are handsome.

We can also use two types of impersonal passive: 

a) It is said that they are handsome. 
b) They are said to be handsome. 

Pay attention to this examples in the past: 

They knew she had an idea.

It was known that she had an idea.

She was known to have had an idea. (to + have V3)

If the predicate of the passive sentence is a verb transitive like believe, think, find, say, report, consider, understand, acknowledge, expect, tell, know then you can change the active sentence into passive.  These are formal structures. They are often used in news reports and on TV.

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME GOOD EXAMPLES.

EXERCISES

Rephrase the sentences to make them more formal. Look at the example above.

1) People think that the new prime minister is a good speaker.

It is .

 The new prime minister .

2) They report that the criminal is in custody.

.................... .

................. .

3) People don't expect that the new party will win the election.

................... .

................... .

4) The police informed that the principal had disappeared.

It was .

The principal was .

5) The detective knows that the robber has left the city.

........... .

................... .

6) People believe that giving encouragement is important at work, too.

........... 

.......................... .

7) They said that Charles had drunk too much at the party.

................... .

.................... .

– Rephrase the sentences to make them more formal.

1) People know that drug addiction is dangerous.

It is .

2) They believe that the lunch will be delicious.

The lunch is .

3) They think that the children are at school.

The children .

4) People said that the robbery lasted half an hour.

It is .

5) People acknowledge that he is talented.

He is .

6) The newspapers reported that he won the jackpot.

He was .

7) They think that your tea is too sweet.

It is .

8) Everybody says the old bridge will collapse.

The old .

– Rewrite the sentences. Look at the examples.

1) It is said that the thief stole several wallets.

The thief is said to have stolen several wallets.

2) People think that the pigeons carry a lot of diseases.

It is thought that the pigeons carry a lot of diseases.

3) Sarah is known to be the prettiest girl in the class.

It is .

4) It was understood that he got divorced.

He was .

5) Amy Winehouse was reported to have died.

It was .

6) It is acknowledged that she is a talented painter.

She is .

7) The Sun was believed to move round the Earth.

It was .

8) It is said that the pilot was drunken.

The pilot .

9) This kind of material is found to be poisonous.

It is .

10)The witness was thought to have injured.

It was .

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6854
Created by Susan V. Toth (Zsuzsapszi)

3. PASSIVE VOICE IN ALL THE TENSES AND A TEST. WHEN CAN WE OMIT THE AGENT?

 

First, complete the chart with the passive voice. Then do this TEST

When do we omit the agent? 

When it does not add relevant information:

The fire was extinguished by the firefighters. (irrelevant)

The fire was extinguished by one of the students. (relevant)

The new film was watched by them/by people (it does not add information) 

The exams will be marked by the teacher (it is the normal thing to happen)

The exams will be marked by the trainee teacher (it is not the normal thing to happen)

   

TENSE / MODAL VERBS	ACTIVE VOICE	PASSIVE VOICE
PRESENT SIMPLE	He makes a cake
PRESENT CONTINUOUS	He is making a cake
PRESENT PERFECT	He has made a cake
PAST SIMPLE	He made a cake
PAST PERFECT	He had made a cake
FUTURE SIMPLE	He will make a cake
FUTURE CONTINUOUS	He will be making a cake
FUTURE PERFECT	He will have made a cake
BE GOING TO	He is going to make a cake
MODAL: CAN	He can make a cake
MODAL: SHOUD	He shoud make a cake
MODAL: MAY, MIGHT	He may/might make a cake
MODAL PERFECT: COULD/MAY/MIGHT/ SHOULD HAVE	He should have made a cake