Basics. The Causative: Have Something Done: correct answers
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When we arrange for someone else to do a task for us, or when something happens to us that is out of our control, we use the causative structure have something done (or get something done). For example, instead of saying "I cut my hair" (which means you used the scissors yourself!), you should say "I had my hair cut." Similarly, you might say, "We are having the house painted."
In this challenge, you will practice forming the causative structure across various tenses, including the past simple, present perfect, present continuous, and future forms. You will help secret agents write mission reports about stolen gadgets, assist stressed brides and party planners with their to-do lists, and even figure out how to arrange professional repairs for a spooky haunted house.
You'll work through 10 questions featuring a diverse mix of single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop formats to test your accuracy with these tricky verb combinations.
Try the quiz to check your knowledge!
Correct answers
Question 1
Complete the teenager's dramatic text message to their best friend. Select the grammatically correct option.
It's a disaster! I went to that cheap salon downtown and _____, and now I look like a sad poodle!
The correct answer is had my hair cut.
To express that someone else performed a service for you in the past, use the past simple causative: had + object (my hair) + past participle (cut).
"Had cut my hair" uses the wrong word order, and "have my hair cut" is in the present tense, but the salon visit happened in the past!
Question 2
The correct answers are I had my secret gadget stolen on the train. and I got my sunglasses broken during the chase.
The structure have/get + object + past participle isn't just for services we ask for; it can also be used to describe experiencing something bad, like a theft or an accident!
"I had stolen my secret gadget" means the agent was the thief!
"I had my passport steal" is incorrect because it uses the base verb ("steal") instead of the past participle ("stolen").
Question 3
Choose the correct phrase to complete the roommate's party-planning checklist.
Before the guests arrive on Friday, we definitely need to _____ by a professional service. This place is a mess!
The correct answer is have the carpets cleaned.
After "need to," we use the base form of the verb. The causative structure requires have + object (the carpets) + past participle (cleaned).
"Clean the carpets" would mean the roommates are doing the scrubbing themselves, but the sentence specifies it will be done "by a professional service."
Question 4
The correct answers are We are having the spooky attic cleaned right now. and We have had the creepy basement windows replaced.
The causative structure (have + object + past participle) can be used in any tense.
"Are having... cleaned" is the present continuous, and "have had... replaced" is the present perfect.
"Having the walls painting" is incorrect because it uses an -ing verb instead of a past participle ("painted").
"Have had replaced the creepy basement windows" is incorrect because the object must come before the past participle.
Question 5
Complete the secret agent's surveillance report by choosing the correct verb form for each blank.
Next week, the villain will have the stolen diamonds smuggled out of the country in a shipment of pineapples.
Furthermore, he has already had his secret island lair redecorated to look exactly like an active volcano.
Next week, the villain will have the stolen diamonds smuggled out of the country in a shipment of pineapples.
After the modal verb "will," we must use the base form of the causative verb (have). The object (diamonds) is followed by the past participle (smuggled).
Furthermore, he has already had his secret island lair redecorated to look exactly like an active volcano.
The sentence uses the present perfect tense ("has already..."), so we need the past participle of the causative verb (had). The object (lair) is followed by the past participle of the action verb (redecorated).
Question 6
The correct answers are She is going to have her dress altered. and She will get her hair styled by a professional.
We use have/get + object + past participle to say that we arranged for someone else to do something for us.
"Having her nails to paint" is incorrect because it uses the infinitive ("to paint") instead of the past participle ("painted").
"Will have altered her dress" is the future perfect tense, which means Sarah will do the altering herself!
Question 7
Help the stressed wedding planner organize her final checklist by choosing the correct verb form for each blank.
"We are having the giant floral archway built right now, so please tell the caterers not to walk there!"
"Also, I had the invitations printed last month, but unfortunately, half of them got lost in the mail."
"We are having the giant floral archway built right now, so please tell the caterers not to walk there!"
We use the present continuous form of the causative (are having) because the action is happening "right now." The object (archway) is followed by the past participle (built).
"Also, I had the invitations printed last month, but unfortunately, half of them got lost in the mail."
We use the past simple causative (had) because the action happened "last month." The object (invitations) is followed by the past participle (printed).
Question 8
The correct answers are replaced, changed, and checked.
The structure have + something + done shows that you asked or paid someone else to perform an action. The main verb must always be in the past participle form (replaced, changed, checked), no matter if the event happened in the past, present, or future!
Question 9
Help Agent 007 complete his mission report before heading into the field. Choose the correct phrase to complete the sentence.
I'm ready for the assignment, Chief. I _____ with the latest laser technology by the engineering department.
The correct answer is have had my watch equipped.
We use the causative structure have + object + past participle to talk about arranging for someone else to do something for us. Because the action was recently completed and is relevant now, we use the present perfect tense: have had.
"Have equipped my watch" would mean the agent did it himself, which contradicts "by the engineering department"!
Question 10
The correct answers are altered, delivered, and done.
When we arrange for someone else to do a task for us, we use the causative structure: have + object + past participle (e.g., have my dress altered). Even though the tense of "have" changes, the main action verb is always a past participle!