IV 2 GET / HAVE SOMETHING DONE

She always looks great. My car has broken down. Your house has changed My nails are terrible.
She has her hair I’m going to get it a lot! I’ll get them
done at the beauty fixed at the garage next Yeah, I had it manicured at a
parlor twice a week. Saturday. decorated by a Professional Nail Salon.
professional last year.

HAVE/GET SOMETHING DONE

Have something done and Get something done are both used to refer to actions which are done for
the subject rather than by the subject. Causative verbs are used instead of passive verbs to show that the
subject causes the action to be done.

Subject HAVE / GET Object Verb – past participle

Derek will get his old car painted
Daphne had her computer fixed
My neighbours are going to get their pet shampooed

1. Have something done

 I don´t know how to repair cars, so I´m having mine repaired at the garage round the corner.
2. Get something done
 I really must get my eyes tested. I´m sure I need glasses.
 Get your hair cut!

NOTE: The differences between have and get something done are that have is slightly more formal than
get, and that get is more frequent than have in the imperative form.
USES OF HAVE AND GET
Have and get are also used to refer to events which happened to someone, but were outside their control.
 After being late for work every day for two weeks, Billy had his pay reduced.
 I stood so close to the fire that I got my legs burnt

Peter is kind of lazy and never does anything by himself. His central
heating system broke down. He couldn’t fix it himself so he __________ it
___________ (repair) by a heating engineer. He normally ____________ his car
______________ (service) in a garage. When he bought a new computer he
___________the software ____________ (install) at the shop.
His mother visited him last night and asked him a lot of questions.
Mother: Your hair is too long. When did you last ___________ it ___________?
(cut)
The cook doesn’t work. Why don’t you ___________ it ____________? (repair)
And look at this carpet. You should __________ it ____________(clean).

Complete the sentences and make clear that the people don't / didn't do it themselves.
1. Yesterday, (I / cut / my hair) ___________________________________.
2. Every Friday, (Joe / wash / his car) ______________________________.
3. Tomorrow, (she / repair / her shower) ______________________________.
4. Each Saturday, (we / deliver / a pizza) _____________________________ to our home.
5. Last year, (Bob / clean / his house) _____________________________ by a charwoman.
6. As Phil had a broken arm, (he / type / his texts) ______________________ by his secretary.
 7. (I / pick up / the goods) _____________________________ tomorrow in the afternoon.
8. (we / redecorate / our walls) ______________________last summer.
9. Whenever Clara is staying at this hotel, (she / carry / her bags) ______________________ into her room.
10. (we / organise / our last party) _____________________ by professionals.

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets
1. We ___________ the roof ___________ last year. It cost us a packet. (repair)
2. Anne ___________ her hair ___________ every Friday afternoon. (do)
3. I ___________ the brakes ___________ three times a year. (check)
4. The government ___________ the whole town ___________ yesterday. (evacuate)
5. I ___________ my hard drive ___________ for a bigger one last week. (change)
6. When did you last ___________ the air-conditioning ___________ ? (service)
7. You don't think Liv Tyler's beautiful?! You should ___________ your eyes ___________ . (test)
8. After the plague of fleas, the boss ___________ the office ___________ . (disinfect)
9. Your cat's coughing. You need to ___________ him ___________ for parasites. (treat)
10. Daphne ___________ her legs ___________ once a fortnight. (do)
11. I normally ___________ my suit dry ___________ before a wedding. (clean)
12. The headmaster ___________ all the lockers ___________ for the missing footballs yesterday. (search)
13. Have you ___________ your house ___________? (double-glaze)
14. Have you ___________ that poster I bought you ___________ yet? (frame)
15. The house is in chaos. We're ___________ a new kitchen ___________ in. (put)
16. My hair's getting far too long. I need to _______ it _______ . (cut)
17. Noah hates _______ his photo _______ . (take)
18. I've lost my key so I'd better _______ another one _______. (make)
19. My watch isn't working properly. I ought to _______ it _______ . (repair)
20. I'm going to _______ my suit _______ as there's a coffee stain on the sleeve. (dryclean)
21. It's time we _______ our car ______ . (service)
22. Katie can't find a wedding dress she likes so she's considering __________ one ___________ . (make)
23. As this summer is expected to be really hot we're planning on ___________ air-conditioning __________.
(instal)
24. Jenny's worried she may have a high cholesterol level so she wants to __________ it __________ . (check
out)
25. The police suspected the fugitive was hiding somewhere in the building so they __________ it __________
. (search)

Choose the most suitable ending

1. The film in my camera is finished. I need to get it ______ .
cut cleaned serviced tested
developed
2. My beard is too long. Do you know where I can get it ______?
made repaired done trimmed
developed
3. I need to relax. I'm going to visit a beauty salon and have my nails ______ .
made repaired taken painted
manicured
4. I'll contact my office in Chicago straight away and have the contract ______ through to you.
faxed repaired done trimmed
manicured
5. I'm having my offices ______ by a famous architect.
washed tested printed taken
designed
6. I don't think my eyes are as good as they used to be . I need to have them ______ .
cut cleaned serviced tested
printed
7. I'm going to the dentist to have a tooth ______ out.
washed seen rebuilt taken
tested
8. I think we can agree on that wording. If you'll wait a few moments, I'll have the new version ______ up.
washed typed rebuilt trimmed
manicured
9. Don't worry, Mr. Jones. I'll have a replacement printer ______ to you immediately.
 faxed typed sent trimmed manicured
10. I need some photocopies. Do you know where I can get that ______ around here?
made repaired done tested developed
11. I'm going to the dentists to have my teeth ______ .
faxed typed sent checked manicured
12. I need a new suit but I don't like 'off the peg' suits. I'm going to go to a tailor and have one ______ .
made cleaned serviced tested
developed
13. I'm going to the photographer to have my photo ______ for the company newsletter.
washed typed rebuilt checked
taken
14. My car is making strange noises. I need to have it ______.
cut cleaned serviced taken
printed
15. My car's filthy. Do you know where I can get it ______?
washed typed sent checked
taken
16. There's something wrong with this photocopier. I'm going to have it ______ to.
washed seen sent taken
printed
17. The sole has come off my shoe. I need to get it ______ .
made repaired serviced tested
developed
18. My hair is very untidy. I need to get it ______.
cut seen rebuilt taken printed
19. Is there a dry cleaning service in this hotel? I need to get my suit ______ .
cut cleaned rebuilt tested
printed
20. The old factory is falling to pieces. We need to have it ______ .
washed seen rebuilt taken
printed
Match the items on the right with the items on the left.

1. I'm sure that door used to be green. _________ 17. My teeth are really hurting. ___________
2. Is that a new coat? ___________
3. This photocopier is useless. ___________ a. I'll have the file e-mailed to you at once.
4. My car battery keeps going flat. __________ b. I'll have some flowers delivered to their house.
5. Your hair looks really untidy. __________ c. I had it broken playing rugby.
6. That old clock looks like it is worth a lot of money. d. I had it stolen on the bus.
_______ e. Yes, but I had it repainted.
7. My computer is not as fast as it used to be. f. I'm going to have it replaced.
___________ g. I cannot keep recharging it every night.
h. I'm afraid that I haven't had the film developed
8. Are the new photographs ready? __________
yet.
9. Where do you buy that magazine? ____________ i. I think I'll have it valued by an auction house.
10. The picture quality on this computer is poor. j. I'm going to have it cut on Saturday. It's too long.
___________ k. I had it serviced last week by a good mechanic.
11. Why is your nose that shape? _________ l. I have it delivered to my home address.
12. I've lost my credit card. __________ m. I'm going to have a new graphics card fitted.
13. Call the plumber. __________ n. I need to have them looked at but I hate dentists.
14. My car is running much better now. __________ o. It's my old one but I had it dry-cleaned.
15. I must thank them for the dinner party. p. I think I'll have it looked at by one of the IT
____________ technicians.
16. I needed the report as soon as possible. __________ q. We have water shooting out of the toilet.
The advertising game (speaking)