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When one does not carry out an action oneself but rather has the action done by someone

else, this is expressed by a causative construction. > In English it is the verb "to have" that introduces the causative: "to have" (conjuguated) + direct objet (noun or pronoun) + main verb (in its past participle form): We'll have a monument erected on this site. I had my hair cut.

> When one wishes to designate the agent of the action (the person who has carried out the described action), there are two possibilities: 1. -- "to have" (conjuguated) + direct objet (noun or pronoun) + main verb (in its past participle form) + "by" + agent (usually not as a pronoun): The professor had the work done by his lab assistants. I had it done by my employees.

2. -- "to have" (conjuguated) + agent (as a direct object noun or pronoun) + main verb (in its infinitive form) + the object (also in the form of a direct object noun or pronoun) The professor had his students write an essay. I had him do it.

Note: Especially in spoken English, the verb "to get" often replaces "to have," in which case "to" is added to the infinitive (but not before past participles). This construction also suggests that it may be (or have been) difficult to produce a certain reaction on the part of the agent: We'll get a monument erected on this site. The professor got his students to write an essay.

> When one wishes to express a change in temperament or in general conditions, it is the construction "to make + adjectif" which is used: That letter made her sad. He makes me furious! That new problem made negotiations really hard!

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Have/Get something done Message from san99 posted on 25-06-2012 at 03:05:12 (D | E | F) Hello, I would like to know what the difference between have something done or get something done is. I am also making a few sentences on both terms; please check these for the mistakes. And do share your thoughts/comments/feedback. I don't know how to differentiate between get and have, because both have the same meaning "to have something done by someone." Have something done or get something done, either sentence is the same in the meaning. Thank you very much. I am going to have my car washed this month. I will have my car washed by next month. Can I write it without by? I had my car washed last month. I would have my car washed last month if I had money. A car hit my knuckle when I was having my car washed three days ago. Where is John? He is not here; he has probably gone to have his car washed. or He has gone to get his car washed. She is having her condo redecorated this year. She is going to have her condo redecorated this year. She will have her condo redecorated by next year. She would have her condo redecorated last year if had had time for it. Get: My wrist watch is not working; will you please get it repaired? If my wrist watch was not working properly he would get it repaired. If my wrist watch had not been working properly he would have gotten it repaired. If my wrist watch did not work properly he would get it repaired. I am having a new satellite system installed in my office. I am having a new connection of Wi-fi internet installed in my home. I got my knee fractured when I was playing in the football. He was getting his beard shaved for a party. Or He was having his beard shaved for a party. Which one is correct? I got all the letters sent to the United States. Or I had all the letters sent to the United States.

He had all his pounds stolen from the drawer; someone might know where he kept the money. Simple: I have my homework done by my friend. I had my make-up done by a beautician. Call me later; I am having my hair-cut done at the saloon. Today evening I am going to have my hair-cut done at the Mikka saloon. She was going to have her hair-cut done just then somebody called her and warned her to stay at home otherwise she will got killed by a serial killer. ------------------Edited by lucile83 on 25-06-2012 07:01

Re: Have/Get something done from gerondif, posted on 25-06-2012 at 09:31:44 (D | E) Hello, You say: "I would like to know what the difference between have something done or get something done is." Both are correct , get gives more the feeling that you are making an effort so that it will get done: "Have" is static whereas, "get" indicates movement, effort. "Get" is more common,more oral, more colloquial in a way than "have". I am going to have my car washed this month. I will have my car washed by next month. Can I write it without by? Yes I had my car washed last month. I would have had my car washed last month if I had had money. A car hit my knuckle when I was having my car washed three days ago. Where is John? He is not here; he has probably gone to have his car washed. or He has gone to get his car washed. She is having her condo redecorated this year. She is going to have her condo redecorated this year. She will have her condo redecorated by next year. She would have had her condo redecorated last year if she had had time for it. Get: My wrist watch is not working; will you please get it repaired? If my wrist watch was not working properly he would get it repaired. If my wrist watch had not been working properly he would have gotten(us/ got (GB) it repaired. If my wrist watch did not work properly he would get it repaired. I am having a new satellite system installed in my office. I am having a new connection of Wi-fi internet installed in my home. I got my knee fractured when/while I was playing in the football. He was getting his beard shaved for a party when he cut himself. Or He was having his beard shaved for a party. Which one is correct? both but with a second

verb in the preterite. I got all the letters sent to the United States. Or I had all the letters sent to the United States. He had all his pounds stolen from the drawer; someone might have known where he kept the money. Simple: I have my homework done by my friend. I had my make-up done by a beautician. Call me later; I am having my hair-cut done at the saloon. Today evening I am going to have my hair-cut done at the Mikka saloon. She was going to have her hair-cut done when just then somebody called her and warned her to stay at home otherwise she will got(you are right! it should be "would be killed, would get killed") killed by a serial killer.

Re: Have/Get something done from a_limon, posted on 25-06-2012 at 15:24:05 (D | E) Hello, I have read the last sentence,and it seemed to me that "when" must go after 'just then' (just then when=at the same moment when). Also I would use "would" instead of "will" here. She was going to have her hair-cut done just then when somebody called her and warned her to stay at home,otherwise she would get killed by a serial killer.

Re: Have/Get something done from san99, posted on 25-06-2012 at 15:43:43 (D | E) Hello, You mean these two words (get/have) are not much different in their meanings and we can use them anywhere, but we should try to use get normally? Yes, you are "After two verbs know and tell" we should write is, are, am at the end of the sentence. I don't know who she is. I know what she is up to. I can't tell how selfish she is. I am sure she is not what she pretends to be..... and so on.... Now about the topic: I would have had my car washed if I had had enough money. Gerondif, would you please explain it a little to me??? Why did you place had after have and why the sentence can't be completed without it? I have the very same question to ask about this sentence: She would have had her condo..... Today evening, I am going to have my hair-cut at Mikka saloon. Can I write this evening to replace today evening? Or can i write it like this, today's evening??? The last sentence:

She was going to have her hair-cut done when (i wrote just then it also tells about the time, isn't it?) somebody called her and warned her to stay at home, otherwise shewould be killed by a serial killer. Yes, Limon you have caught a right mistake, It should be would as we are talking about a past event. Thank you for helping me. I would really appreciate if you could also check my other threads.

Re: Have/Get something done from a_limon, posted on 25-06-2012 at 16:47:52 (D | E) Hello, She was going to have her hair-cut done when (i wrote just then it also tells about the time, isn't it?) somebody called her and warned her to stay at home, yes it does, but I would write just then when,notwhen just then,because it seems more usual phrase to me like Russian speaker,but I'm not sure for 100% for English. She would have had her condo redecorated last year if she had had time for it. I would use "get" here,because no need to have free time in order to redecorate your condo by efforts of someone else. You just need to have only money for that.

Re: Have/Get something done from gerondif, posted on 25-06-2012 at 17:04:38 (D | E) Hello, I would have had my car washed last month if I had had money. with "last month", you nail your verb into the PAST, and then you have to speak about the past and not a hypothetical future: If I have enough money, I will have my car washed. present tense....................future tense. If I were rich enough, If I had enough money, I would have my car washed. supposition in the subjunctive ........................conditional. If I had had enough money last month, I would have had my car washed. past perfect.......................................... past conditional It is a regret about the past. Same thing for: She would have had her condo redecorated last year if she had had time for it. She was going to have her hair-cut done when (just then, suddenly, all of a

sudden) somebody called her . I left "just then" where it was but I could have suppressed it . Your sentence: She was going to have her hair-cut done just then somebody called her and warned her to stay at home otherwise she will got killed by a serial killer. Just then is wrong if there is no full stop before it. She was going to have her hair-cut done. Just then, somebody called her and warned her to stay at home otherwise she would get killed by a serial killer. When is more natural. "just then when" is wrong: Just when she was going to have her hair-cut done, somebody called her and warned her to stay at home,(comma! Limon is right) otherwise she would get killed by a serial killer. is correct. This evening = tonight.

Re: Have/Get something done from a_limon, posted on 28-06-2012 at 00:59:21 (D | E) Hello, Gerondif,could you tell me why you have written in the red the comma and the point in the sentenses. She was going to have her hair-cut done. Just then, somebody called her and warned her to stay at home otherwise she would get killed by a serial killer. Just when she was going to have her hair-cut done, somebody called her and warned her to stay at home,(comma! Limon is right) otherwise she would get killed by a serial killer. is correct. It seems to me that they must be in green. Though I'm not sure about "just then",because "just then"is not the preposition phrase to be separated with comma,"just then" is adverb phrase consisting from two adverbs. The adverbs in the beginning of the sentence are not separated with comma. But as to Just when she was going to have her hair-cut done, it is the adverbial subordinate clause, it must be separated from the main clause. No matter where it is:at the beginning or the end of the sentence.

Re: Have/Get something done from sherry48, posted on 28-06-2012 at 14:23:40 (D | E) Hello. I have two small corrections...she was getting/having her hair cut, or she was getting/having her hair done.

He was getting his beard shaved for a party when he cut himself. Or He was having his beard shaved for a party... If he was getting shaved, it was the barber who was doing the shaving, so he wouldn't cut himself, but the barber could cut him. If there was no barber, then you could write...He was shaving his beard for a party when he cut himself. Sherry

Re: Have/Get something done from gerondif, posted on 28-06-2012 at 18:19:47 (D | E) Hello, you are right, Sherry; I should have written: He was getting his beard shaved for a party when he fell off the chair. e Limon, I put the dots and commas in red because they are almost invisible in green but I should have put them in green. You say: "The adverbs in the beginning of the sentence are not separated with comma. " "Normally, I wake up at 7." doesn't look wrong to me, "Stangely enough, he arrived on time." either Often, you will see birds defending their nests... either.

Re: Have/Get something done from san99, posted on 29-06-2012 at 01:17:31 (D | E) Hello, About his getting shaved He was getting/having his beard shaved and got one cut on the cheeks. The barber must have been very careless. He was shaving his beard when he cut himself by mistake. He was probably thinking of her girlfriend with whom he promised to meet that evening. When she was going to have her hair done,somebody called her.............. When she was going to have her hair done, (when can't be used here) just then somebody called her and warned her to stay at home, otherwise she would be killed by a serial killer. ( Yes, limon a comma has to be placed before otherwise Or Just when she was going to have her hair done........ Question to Gerondif, Why the second sentence is not right without when??? I don't think "when" is required there. Could you please explain? ------------------Edited by lucile83 on 29-06-2012 07:24

Re: Have/Get something done from gerondif, posted on 29-06-2012 at 09:58:43 (D | E) Hello, a preterite continuous in the middle of nowhere sounds bizarre. "Yesterday, he was getting his hair cut" sounds plausible only if you go on "when I phoned him". If you ask: What was he doing yesterday at 10 ? I couldn't meet him ,he wasn't in! Then, you can answer: "He was getting his hair cut", without yesterday, because you have it in mind, you have just heard it in the question. But if the sentence comes on its own without a previous time frame: "Yesterday,at 10, he was getting his hair cut" ,I feel then you have to add "at 10" He was shaving his beard when he cut himself by mistake. He was probably thinking of her girlfriend with whom he had promised to meet that evening.

Re: Have/Get something done from a_limon, posted on 30-06-2012 at 00:49:25 (D | E) Hello, It became not quite clear to me how to combine two different opinions: sherry If he was getting shaved, it was the barber who was doing the shaving, so he wouldn't cut himself, but the barber could cut him. gerondiff get gives more the feeling that you are making an effort so that it will get done: "Have" is static whereas, "get" indicates movement, effort. I had my make-up done by a beautician He was getting his beard shaved for a party when he cut himself. When we use "get (in the different tense)" with the subject,it means the subject itself does (is doing) something. When we use "have",someone else is doing something to (for) the subject.(according to Gerondif) No matter what we use,"have" or"get",in "get/"have" something done", the subject is doing nothing. (according to Sherry) I'm confused.

Re: Have/Get something done from san99, posted on 30-06-2012 at 01:07:39 (D | E) ok. But it is pretty quite clearer now. ------------------Edited by lucile83 on 30-06-2012 07:20

Re: Have/Get something done from san99, posted on 30-06-2012 at 01:10:57 (D | E) Yes, when we say " have done or get something done" it means the subject is doing nothing, in fact, he is having someone to do something for him/her. I have my hair done today. It indicates clearly that the subject has his/her set, done, or cut by someone else. Get something done is more formal in the speaking: She got her hair done last night.. He got a letter written ( he didn't write it himself he had it written by someone else). I will get the report resent to you. I am not going to do it myself instead someone else will do it.....

Re: Have/Get something done from sherry48, posted on 30-06-2012 at 03:52:55 (D | E) Hello. To a_limon...For the examples originally given, the subject is having something done to or for him or her. You might like to see this exercise I found on causative verbs.Link Sherry

Re: Have/Get something done from gerondif, posted on 30-06-2012 at 09:55:21 (D | E) Hello, a limon, 1) I made a mistake when I wrote: He was having/getting/ his beard shaved for a party when he cut himself. It would only make sense if he was playing with a knife at the same time and cut his finger or something..... I should have written: He was getting his beard shaved when the barber cut him by accident. The jailer from Newgate was having his beard shaved when Sweeney Todd cut his throat (from the film "Sweeney Todd") 2) You say: When we use "get (in the different tense)" with the subject,it means the subject itself does (is doing) something. When we use "have",someone else is doing something to (for) the subject.(according to Gerondif) This is not what I say. I had my door painted: means that I asked a painter to paint it for me. It works like this:

I had + the "victim" + the result of a passive action= past participle. It means: I asked my door to be painted by somebody else. I got my door painted: for me is more colloquial, and at the same time, it might indicate more difficulties. I managed to get my door painted although the painter was overbooked! you say: When we use "get (in the different tense)" with the subject,it means the subject itself does (is doing) something. NO, we can't assume this: He got a job = he obtained a job = he found a job, ok! He got his enemy killed: means that he paid somebody else to kill him. It depends how you use the verb. You say: When we use "have",someone else is doing something to (for) the subject.(according to Gerondif) ONLY if it is used in that pattern: I had my door painted. ------------------Edited by gerondif on 30-06-2012 10:05

Re: Have/Get something done from gerondif, posted on 30-06-2012 at 09:59:24 (D | E) Hello, San, I have never heard: It is pretty clearer now! It is much clearer, a lot clearer, far clearer, really clearer.... ok For me, it sounds strange. It is pretty clear, ok If you were using slang, "bloody" would be just as strange! "It is pretty clearer, bloody clearer", ring false to my ear anyway.....

Re: Have/Get something done from lucile83, posted on 30-06-2012 at 12:11:34 (D | E) Hello gerondif, You are right about this sentence: It is pretty clearer now! I corrected the beginning of the sentence this morning and forgot to change 'pretty' though I wanted to do it; I have just changed it into 'quite'. Anyway, 'pretty' + adjective is colloquial, as well as 'a bit' instead of 'a little'.

Re: Have/Get something done from a_limon, posted on 01-07-2012 at 01:08:29 (D | E) Hello, Gerondiff,thank you for your answer. It seems that I undertood the difference between "get" and "have" in the pattern "have/get something done" (Not going away from the topic,I really meant only this pattern,saying about "have" and "get".) Using the "get",one means some personal difficulties to get something done.(to reach one's own goal.) Using the "have",one just means the fact of something done (the fact of doing something by someone else. It could be even not the will of the subject). San99, Get something done is more formal in the speaking: I would say "informal",because Gerondiff said "get" is often used colloquially. When something is used colloquially it means "informally".

Re: Have/Get something done from san99, posted on 01-07-2012 at 01:15:12 (D | E) To Gerondif, The sentence "It's is pretty clearer now may sound false to your ears, but it's pretty clear now was what I meant to use there." You were always right as usual( you are ).

Re: Have/Get something done from san99, posted on 01-07-2012 at 01:45:53 (D | E) Hello Limon, You are right, get is often used informally. And Gerondif is right ( there is just one "f" in his username nor double f). There isn't much difference between get and have... we can use both in the sentences.

Let and make

Do you know the difference between LET and MAKE ?

English people use LET + someone + VERB to give someone permission to do something, or allow someone to do something.

BUT THEY DON'T USE TO WITH LET !

They use MAKE + someone + VERB to oblige someone to do something; they have no choice and they have to do it.

THEY DON'T USE TO WITH MAKE EITHER !

Complete the following sentences with either MAKE or LET

The difference between times and tenses


Tags:

future

past

present

tense

time

Time is a concept which is related to our perception of reality. There are three times: past, present and future. Tense is a grammatical category which is marked by verb inflection and expresses when an event or action happens in the flow of time. Strictly speaking, only two English tenses are marked by the inflection of the verb:

past (talked) present (talks) Other tenses are marked by auxiliaries (be, have):

past continuous (was/were talking) past perfect (had talked) past perfect continuous (had been talking) present continuous (am/are/is talking) present perfect (have/has talked) present perfect continuous (have/has been talking) As future time is expressed with the modal will + infinitive and not with inflection, the forms with will (will talk, will be talking, will have talked, will have been talking ) are not considered to be tenses. However, for the sake of convenience, we refer to them as such throughout this book. Therefore, the twelve basic tenses of English are:

Simple

Continuous

Perfect

Perfect continuous

Past

Past simple

Past continuous

Past perfect

Past perfect continuous

Present

Present simple

Present continuous

Present perfect Future perfect

Present perfect continuous Future perfect continuous

Future

Future simple

Future continuous

Note that certain tenses in English may refer to a different time than that expressed by their names. For example, the present continuous tense may refer to either present or future time: "What are you doing?" "I'm reading." (present reference) "What are you doing on Wednesday evening?" "I'm visiting my grandma." (future reference)

For diagrams and quotes related to this topic, check out our e-book The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar.

State verbs and action verbs


Tags:

continuous

simple

state

State verbs
State verbs express states or conditions which are relatively static. They include verbs of perception, cognition, the senses, emotion and state of being:

Examples of state verbs

appear believe belong consider consist contain

cost doubt exist fit hate hear

have know like love matter mean

need owe own prefer remember resemble

seem suppose suspect understand want wish

State verbs are not normally used in continuous forms: I am needing a new phone . I need a new phone. Who is this bag belonging to? Who does this bag belong to? They are seeming tired. They seem tired.

Action verbs
Action verbs (also called dynamic verbs) express activities, processes, momentary actions or physical conditions:

Examples of action verbs

ache arrive ask call change cook

dance eat fall feel go grow

have help hit hurt itch kick

knock leave melt read say shrink

sing speak talk throw travel watch

They may be used in continuous forms: Who was he dancing with? Someone's knocking at the door. I've been reading this book for weeks.

State verbs in the continuous form


Some state verbs may be used in the continuous form if they refer to a temporary action or an action in progress at a certain moment, rather than a permanent attitude: I'm having second thoughts about moving abroad. Jones is appearing in Hamlet this evening. You're looking great in those jeans. There are also state verbs which may be used in the continuous form, but with a different, active meaning:

Stative meaning Do you have a car? (own)

Active meaning They are having dinner at the moment. (eating) She's being silly again. (behaving in a silly way) He is smelling the soup. (sniffing at)

You are my best friend. (it's a fact)

That soup smells good. (has a good smell) This milk tastes sour. (has a sour taste) You look great! (your current

I was just tasting the food. (testing) He was looking out the window when I

appearance) What do you see? (notice with eyes)

saw him.(directing his eyes towards) I'm seeing my dentist this afternoon. (visiting) The judge will be hearing the evidence later this week. (listening to) Are you expecting visitors this evening? (waiting for them to arrive) How have you been feeling? (asking about physical state) He is weighing the melon. (measuring its weight)

I don't hear well. (pick up with ears)

I expect that you are tired. (assume)

I feel that you are wrong. (think)

This melon weighs 2 kg. (its weight is 2 kg)

Naturally, we can use the verbs with the active meaning in the simple form, too: How often do you see your dentist? They usually have dinner at 6. But we cannot use the verbs with the stative meaning in the continuous form: This melon is weighing 2 kilos. The soup was smelling good. For diagrams and quotes related to this topic, check out our e-book The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar.

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