EF5/6 Causative verbs

Causative verbs designate the action necessary to cause another action to happen.

Maria asked her sister to wash the dishes.

ask -causative verb, causes to wash

Most important daily-use causative verbs:

help, allow, invite, require, motivate, get, convince, hire, assist, encourage, permit, employ, force, compel, ask, tell

help, allow, invite, get, ask
Maria helped her mother to weed the garden.
I allow my son to play Fortnite one hour per day.
I am going to invite my family to have supper.
I will get my daughter to bake an apple pie.
My boss will get me to finish the job this weekend. Important?
I ask my daughter to wash the dishes.
I asked him to lend me the book.

The mother helped her daughter to win at chess.
I encourage you to read 5 pages every day.

motivate - encourage - encourage courage-bravery
motivate - motive- reason
The mother motivated/encouraged her son to follow his dream.
require
The job requires you to type letters.
You are required to show two pieces of ID.


These are followed by an object (noun or pronoun) followed by an infinitive: "She allows her pet cockatiel to perch on the windowsill. She hired a carpenter to build a new birdcage."

Four causative verbs are exceptions to the pattern described above. Instead of being followed by a noun/pronoun and an infinitive, the causative verbs help, have, make and let are followed by a noun/pronoun and the base form of the verb (which is actually an infinitive with the "to" left off).

help is special
I help you change the tires on the car.

I help you to change the tires on the car.

make
We make our kids to do their homework.
We make our kids do their homework.
We tell our kids to do their homework.

let - allow
I let me son play video games.

I let my son do his homework. XXX

The mother let her daughter win at chess. XXX
The mother helped her daughter win at chess.