Advanced Lesson 4 -
Peter Is Rescued
Grammar Exercise
This is the fifth part of Advanced Lesson 4, or you can do it as an individual grammar lesson.
Have Something Done, or Have Someone Do Something
These two phrases are very similar to the passive tense. However, in the passive tense we don’t know who or what is doing the action of the verb. With these two phrases, we can know who arranged for the action to happen, even if you don’t know who actually did it.
1. Have Something Done
To “have something done,” is a phrase you can use when you arrange for someone to do something for you. Look at this example:
- …Solomon decided to have the chest moved to the temple… (2 Chronicles 5:2-3b CEV, bold added)
We don’t know who actually moved the chest, but we know that Solomon arranged for it to happen. We form the sentence this way:
subject + have + object + past participle
Solomon (decided to) + have + the chest + moved
“Have” is the helping verb, and “moved” is the main verb in the past participle form. “Have” can be conjugated in any tense.
More Examples of “Have Something Done”
Here are more examples of the “have something done” construction from the Bible. You can see that the person who wanted the action done is included in the sentence, but the person who actually did the action is not mentioned. Using this phrase tells us that the action is more important than who did the action.
- I’ll have some water brought, so you can wash your feet, then you can rest under a tree. (Genesis 18:4 CEV, bold added)
(I wanted it done, but somebody else, we don’t know who, will bring the water.) - …he will have the house closed for seven days. (Leviticus 14:38 CEV, bold added)
(He wanted it done, but we don’t know who closed the house.) - After this letter has been read to your people, be sure to have it read in the church at Laodicea. (Colossians 4:16a CEV, bold added)
(The subject, “you,” is implied. We don’t know who will actually read the letter, but Paul is asking you to make sure it happens.)
Here is the example from today’s Bible text:
- …Then he questioned the guards and had them put to death…
(Acts 12:19b CEV, bold added)
Herod questioned the guards, and he ordered them to be put to death. Herod arranged for this to happen, but the person who actually performed the action is not mentioned. The result of the action is more important than the person who performed it.
Some Everyday Examples
The best way to learn new grammar is to use it as much as possible! Here are some examples from everyday speech:
- I had my hair cut last week.
- Mom needs to have her kitchen remodeled.
- Beatriz had her wallet stolen.
Sometimes, in casual speech, you can substitute the word “get” for the word “have.”
- I got my hair cut last week.
- Mom needs to get her kitchen remodeled.
- Beatriz got her wallet stolen.
Remember, using “get” is more casual. Use it when you speak in an informal situation.
Have you had someone do something for you? Have you ever had anything replaced or repaired? Try writing some sample sentences with the “have something done” construction.
2. Have Someone Do Something
Sometimes we might want to mention the person who is going to do the action that is being arranged. In this situation, we use the phrase “have someone do something.” Here is an example:
- Finally, the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and had him stand on top of the temple… (Luke 4:9a CEV, bold added)
The devil is the subject, the one who arranged the action. This time, though, we know who performed the action – Jesus.
Subject + have + person who will do the action + base verb
devil + have (had) + Jesus + stand
We use this construction when we want to ask or order someone to do something. Here is another example:
- Have someone make two trumpets out of hammered silver… (Numbers 10:2a CEV, bold added)
Since this is an order (an imperative), the subject (you) is implied. The person who will do the action is “someone,” and they will do the base verb, “make.”
Some Everyday Examples
In the previous everyday examples, we didn’t know who would be performing the action. Let’s change those sentences into this new form, where we DO know who will be performing the action.
- I had Julia cut my hair last week.
- Mom needs to have Jason remodel her kitchen.
- Beatriz had her wallet stolen.
Did you notice that we couldn’t change the last sentence? When something happens to you that you did not arrange and was out of your control, you need to use the first construction, “have something done.” These situations are usually bad. Here are some more examples:
- We had the electricity go out last night.
- The children had their toys taken away.
- Robert had his feelings hurt.
These bad situations can’t be changed to the “have someone do something” construction because they were not something the subject arranged or could control.
Practice Makes Perfect!
Now use what you’ve learned to write some sentences with the “have someone do something” construction. As you practice these phrases, they will become more natural for you to use in everyday conversation.
Ready to work on the Writing exercise where you can practice these some more? Click the button!
Click this button to go back to the Speaking Exercise.
