Have Something Done
Have Something Done
Have Something Done
We use HAVE/GET + OBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE to say that we arrange for someone else to do something for us. EXAMPLE : Janis took her trousers to the cleaner's : Janis HAD her trousers CLEANED I'm mending my motorbike : I' M HAVING my motorbike MENDED I check my daughter's homework every day : My daughter HAS her homework CHECKED every day The verb to HAVE can be used in any VERB TENSE, either affirmative, negative or interrogative form.
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE Liz has her house painted every five years. My father has his car serviced at the beginning of winter and summer. I dont have my shoes polished. I always do it myself. Do you have your hair dyed every month?
have something done = get something done PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE Murat is having his shoes polished at the moment. ( Somebody is polishing Murats shoes for him ) A: Wherere you? B: Im at the doctors. Im having my eyes tested. Sinan and Suna are having their documents printed as they dont have a printer. She had the flat tyre changed as she didnt know how to change it by herself. SIMPLE PAST TENSE
Fatih had his hair cut before going to the wedding ceremony. She had the business letter translated into Japanese. Did you have your car repaired?
Examples: a. I must get / have my hair cut. b. When are you going to get that window mended? c. We're having the house painted. If the verb refers to something negative or unwanted, it has the same meaning as a passive sentence: d. Jim had his car stolen last night. (= Jim's car was stolen) e. They had their roof blown off in the storm. (= Their roof was blown off in the storm) The construction can refer to the completion of an activity, especially if a time expression is used: f. We'll get the work done as soon as possible. g. I'll get those letters typed before lunchtime. In all these sentences, we are more interested in the result of the activity than in the person or object that performs the activity. NEEDS DOING In the same way, this construction has a passive meaning. The important thing in our minds is the person or thing that will experience the action, e.g. a. The ceiling needs painting (= the ceiling needs to be painted) b. My hair needs cutting (= my hair needs to be cut)
Form
Have + object + past participle -- to have something done Have + object + bare infinitive -- to have someone do something
Important points
Get is possible instead of have, usually in informal spoken English. I'm going to get my car fixed tomorrow. We can also use have someone do something to talk about giving instructions or orders which is more common in American English. I had my assistant type the report. I'll have my lawyer look into it.