Using services

So our listeners need language for when someone else does something for them.

That's right, Georgie.

Shall we start with what we call the causative, have something done?

Right.

So if I say, "I cut my hair," that means that I cut it myself.

I did the action.

But when Neil said this...

So a couple of weeks ago, I had my hair cut

...

he meant that someone else cut his hair after he asked them to do so.

There's an emphasis on the process rather than the person who does the action.

So how do we use it, Georgie? What's the structure?

First, the word have, in whichever tense is appropriate.

So Neil said, "I had," because he's talking about the past.

Then the object, so for Neil, the object was his hair, and then the past participle form of the verb.

In Neil's example, it was cut.

I had my hair cut.

Okay, and Beth had some examples of that, too.

She had her blood pressure taken, and she had her teeth looked at.

Somebody else did those things for her.

Both Neil and Beth were talking about the past, but you can also say things like, "I usually have my hair cut once a month," or, "I'm going to have my bedroom painted next week," to talk about the present and future.

That's right.

You might also hear have replaced with get as well.

For example, I got my blood pressure taken, or I'm getting my hair cut.

Now let's learn about this phrase, get someone to do something.