Exercise 1
1. Use the words in brackets to complete these sentences. Use the structure “to have something
done”.
e.g.: We (our house / paint) next summer.
We are going to have our house painted next summer.
a. I have lost my key. I’ll have to __________________________________(another key / make).
b. Your hair is a mess. You should _________________________________ (your hair / cut).
c. The floor is very dirty. Why don’t you _________________________________ (it / clean)?
d. My father’s car is not working very well. He _________________________________ (it / service)
tomorrow.
e. Many young people today _________________________________ (their nose / pierce).
f. She has got a bad toothache. She _________________________________ (it / remove) in a week.
g. Summers are very hot in Spain. Many people _________________________________ (swimming
pools / build) in their gardens.
h. My office needs a change. I _________________________________ (it / redecorate) in the spring.
i. I _________________________________ (my house / clean) once a week.
j. They _________________________________ (their computers / repair) today.
2. Replace the phrase underlined with the structure “have something done”.
a. I didn’t recognise Sheila. The hairdresser’s dyed her hair.
__________________________________________________________________________________
b. I’ve been getting a lot of annoying phone calls, so the telephone company is going to change my
number.
__________________________________________________________________________________
c. Gabrielle broke her leg six weeks ago but she’s much better now. In fact the doctors will be taking
the plaster off tomorrow.
__________________________________________________________________________________
d. Since Ron made a lot of money, he’s not content with this little cottage, so an architect’s designed
him a fine new house.
__________________________________________________________________________________
e. This room gets too hot when the sun shines so I’m getting someone to fit blinds on the windows.
__________________________________________________________________________________
f. I heard that Mrs Green didn’t trust her husband so she hired a detective to follow him.
__________________________________________________________________________________
g. We don’t really know what Shakespeare looked like. I wish he had asked someone to paint his
portrait before he died.
__________________________________________________________________________________
h. My sister had always been self-conscious about her nose so she decided to go to a clinic for an
operation which will straighten it.
__________________________________________________________________________________
3. Read the situations and make sentences using a causative structure.
a. There was a bank robbery at the bank this morning.
The robbers - make - the staff - lie - floor.
__________________________________________________________________________________
b. It was the first time she asked her mother to comb her hair.
She - never - have - hair - comb - before.
__________________________________________________________________________________
c. Sam’s parents always tell him to clean his boots.
He - always - make - clean - shoes.
__________________________________________________________________________________
d. I couldn’t repair my car by myself and I needed it last week.
I - have to - get - mechanic - repair - it.
__________________________________________________________________________________
e. The cruel teachers don’t allow the students to drink or take drugs.
The cruel teachers - not let - the students - drink or take drugs.
__________________________________________________________________________________
f. The old man is going to receive a letter that looks like a letter-bomb and he doesn’t want to open it.
The old husband - get - the letter-bomb - open.
__________________________________________________________________________________
ANSWERS
2
a. Sheila has had her hair dyed.
b. I’m going to have my number changed. / I’ve had my number changed.
c. Gabrielle will have the plaster taken off tomorrow. / Gabrielle will be having the plaster taken off
tomorrow.
d. Ron had a fine new house designed.
e. I’m having blinds fitted on the windows.
f. Mrs Green had her husband/him followed.
g. I wish he had had his portrait painted.
h. She decided to have it straightened. / She will have it straightened.
3
a. The robbers made the staff lie on the floor.
b. She had never had her hair combed before.
c. He is always made to clean his shoes.
d. I had to get a mechanic to repair it.
e. The cruel teachers don’t let the students drink or take drugs.
f. The old husband will get the letter-bomb opened.
