Making Something Happen
Causative Verbs
'Make' and 'have' are also used as causative verbs. Causative verbs are similar to the passive form because they are used to express the idea of someone causing something to take place.
Example:
We made the workers on the shop floor work the weekend.
The official didn't have the company comply to the safety standards for dock levelers.
How did you have Peter address the problem of stock depletion?
Causative Verb Make
Use 'make' as a causative to express that the subject requires others to take the desired action.
Positive Form:
Subject + Make + Person + Verb
We made our retailers use a profitability measure called Direct Product Profitability.
Negative Form:
Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Not Make + Person + Verb
They didn't make the team plan for the a shortage of raw materials.
Question Form:
(Wh?) Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Make + Person + Verb
How did you make the publisher change his distribution model?
Causative Verb Have
Use 'have' as a causative to express that the subject requests others to take the desired action. The causative verb 'have' is most often used when speaking about various services. There are two forms of the causative verb 'have'
Positive Form:
Subject + Make + Person + Verb
Frank had Tom repair the onsite specific-purpose equipment.
Negative Form:
Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Not Make + Person + Verb
The boss didn't have the workers put a sticker on every product.
Question Form:
(Wh?) Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Make + Person + Verb
How did you have Peter address the problem of stock depletion?