[Grammar] Causative sentence

Status
Not open for further replies.

Sotthey

New member
Joined
Sep 9, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Cambodian
Home Country
Cambodia
Current Location
United States
I'm a student from Truman college level 7.
I'm confused about the form of the causative sentence with get, help, make, have,and let.

My teacher told me that these kinds of sentences can not be changed to passive voice, but saw on internet the kinds of sentence are called causative passive.

May you show me the right way of using them?

please kindly inform if I did something wrong cause this is my first time.
Thank.
 

English Freak

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
I had my TV repaired.
I got mt TV repaired.
Both can be called passive because the person (subject) who repaired the TV is not known. But
I had Jack repair my TV.
I got Jack to repair my TV.
can be called active because the person who repaired the TV set is known. It' Jack.
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Welcome to the forum, Sotthey,

I disagree with the first part of English Freak's answer.

If this is what you mean:

I was made to walk to school;
He can be helped to overcome his disability;
A lovely time was had by all;

- then those are just fine.

As for get, you could say 'Some bacon was got for our tea', but that's an ugly construction and is best avoided.

I wouldn't try to turn 'He let me use his computer' into the passive, although you could say 'I was allowed to use his computer'.

It's fine to use phrasal verbs like let in and let out in the passive:

Come early and you'll be let in first;
The dog was let out for a run.'

Rover
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top