21 April 2009

Grammar: Causatives (Make & Let)

A causative form, in linguistics, is an expression of an agent causing or forcing another thing or person to perform an action or to be in a certain state/condition. In the text below you saw two examples of these causative forms:

- It was the breakfast pizza that finally made my wife snap.

- And do you know she actually made me eat it.

- ‘I will let you have … Cookie Crisp and Toaster Pastries..’

1) MAKE – “forcing or constraining”

If we express the idea of forcing or putting pressure on someone/something to do something, we use the structure: to make someone/something do something

Look at other examples:

- She made her children do their homework.
- The robbers made everyone lie on the floor with their hands behind their heads.
- She made me put back all the junk food.

2) LET - “authorization”

If we express the idea of allowing or permitting someone/something to do something, we use the structure: to let someone/something do something

Look at other examples:

- Will your father let you come to the party tomorrow night?
- My boss let me take the day off from work.
- Stop the ball! Don’t let it roll into the street.

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