Causative form

We use the causative form (to have something done) to show that we have arranged for somebody (usually an expert) to do something for us.

The word order of a sentence in passive causative form is:

subject	to have	something	past participle	(when)
I	had	my car	washed	yesterday
For whom the action is performed	Put the verb to have in the corresponding verb tense	The object on which the action is performed	What is done (use the past participle of the main verb)	When the action is performed

Example:

Active voice: They washed my car yesterday. (They did it)

Causative form: I had my car washed yesterday. (I didn’t do it)

In causative form we don’t usually mention the person who does the action. However, if we need to add this information, we use the “by phrase”.

Example:

I had my clothes washed by my mum.

Transforming sentences from active voice into causative form

tense	active voice	causative form
Present simple	He washes the car every week.	He has his car washed every week.
Pr. continuous	He is washing the car now.	He is having his car washed now.
Present perfect	He has just washed the car.	He has just had his car washed.
Present perfect continuous	He has been washing his car for hours.	He has been having his car washed for hours.
Past Simple	He washed the car yesterday.	He had his car washed yesterday.
Past continuous	He was washing the car at 6:00 yesterday.	He was having his car washed at 6:00 yesterday.
Past Perfect	He had washed the car before he left for work.	He had had his car washed before he left for work.
Past perfect continuous	He was bored because he had been washing his car all morning.	He was bored because he had been having his car washed all morning.
Future simple	He will wash the car tomorrow.	He will have his car washed tomorrow.
Future continuous	He will be washing his car at 6:00 tomorrow.	He will be having his car washed at 6:00 tomorrow.
Future Perfect	He will have washed the car by 3:00 tomorrow.	He will have had his car washed by 3:00 tomorrow.
Future perfect continuous	By noon tomorrow he will have been washing his car for hours.	By noon tomorrow he will have been having his car washed for hours.
Future with “going to”	He is going to wash the car later today.	He is going to have his car washed later today.
Modals	He should wash the car.	He should have his car washed.
Present infinitive	He needs to wash the car.	He needs to have his car washed.
Perfect infinitive	He must have washed the car by now.	He must have had his car washed by now.
-ing form	He insisted on washing the car.	He insisted on having his car washed.