Let / Make / Have / Get

The following is a mini-tutorial on the use of the causative verbs "let," "make," "have," and "get." After you have studied the tutorial, complete the associated exercises. If you already know how to use these verbs, you can skip the explanation and go directly to the exercises.

Let

FORM
let + PERSON + VERB

USE
This construction means "to allow someone to do something."


EXAMPLES:

John let me drive his new car.

Will your parents let you go to the party?

I don't know if my boss will let me take the day off.

Make


FORM
make + PERSON + VERB

USE
This construction means "to force someone to do something."


EXAMPLES:

My teacher made me apologize for what I had said.

Did somebody make you wear that ugly hat?

She made her children do their homework.

Have


FORM
have + PERSON + VERB


USE
This construction means "to give someone the responsibility to do something."

EXAMPLES:

Dr. Smith had his nurse take the patient's temperature.

Please have your secretary fax me the information.

I had the mechanic check the brakes.

Get


FORM
get + PERSON + to + VERB


USE
This construction usually means "to convince to do something" or "to trick someone into doing something."

EXAMPLES:

Susie got her son to take the medicine even though it tasted terrible.

How can parents get their children to read more?

The government TV commercials are trying to get people to stop smoking.

Get vs. Have


Sometimes "get someone to do something" is interchangeable with "have someone do something," but these expressions do not mean exactly the same thing.

EXAMPLES:

I got the mechanic to check my brakes.
At first the mechanic didn't think it was necessary, but I convinced him to check the brakes.

I had the mechanic check my brakes.
I asked the mechanic to check the brakes.
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1. Sam really wanted a dog, but his parents wouldn't let him have a pet.

2. I can't believe she made you look at her vacation pictures again last night. We have to look at those stupid pictures every time we go to her house.

3. I don't know how you convince your children to clean up their rooms. I couldn't get my children to clean up their rooms if my life depended on it.

4. Professor Yu had each of her students write an essay describing their future goals in life.

5. Professor Yu lets her students use a dictionary while they were taking the test.

6. Debbie's husband hates the opera. But after days of nagging, she finally got him to go see the new production of La Boheme.

7. Sally made me take off my shoes before I went into her house. She said she wanted to keep the carpet clean.

8. Rebecca Smith requested a copy of that expense report, so I had the courier take one over to her last week.

9. Diane thinks television is a waste of time, so she won't let her children watch TV.

10. Susie had her son take out the trash before he went to the park to play soccer.

11. Marcus let me drive his new BMW. I couldn't believe how quickly it picked up speed.

12. How did you get the doctor to make a house call? I haven't heard of a doctor actually going to a patient's house in years.

13. My boss makes me get him coffee, pick up his dry cleaning and buy presents for his wife. He can't do anything by himself!

14. Tommy didn't want to go to his cousin's birthday party, but his mom made him go.

15. I can't believe the zoo keeper let you feed the snake. That was so cool!

16. The contract was very detailed, and it was essential that the wording be absolutely correct. Therefore, I had the translator recheck his work several times to make sure there would be no misunderstandings.

17. Cheryl didn't want to wash her car, so with a little smooth talk she got her boyfriend to wash it for her.

18. If you ask me nicely, I'll let you lick the bowl after I make the cookies.

19. Jack found a fly floating in his coffee, so he had the waiter bring him a new cup.

20. The news coverage of the recent tornado was incredibly moving. The interview with the little boy who lost his family in the tragedy made everyone cry.