Have something done
Say that someone else does a service for you: I had my hair cut. We’re having the kitchen painted.
In this lesson you will
- Form have + object + past participle
- Talk about services
- Use get something done informally
Learn
have + object + past participle = someone does it for you: I had my hair cut* yesterday. She’s having her car repaired.*
Compare: I cut my hair (I did it myself) vs I had my hair cut (a hairdresser did it).
It works in any tense: I’m going to have my eyes tested. We’ve just had the windows cleaned.
get something done is more informal: I need to get my phone fixed. It can also describe something bad that happened to you: He had his bag stolen.
Examples
- I’m having my teeth checked on Monday.
- We had a new kitchen fitted last year.
- You should get your eyes tested.
- She had her passport stolen on holiday.
Vocabulary
fit
put in place (e.g. a kitchen)
service
work done for a customer
test (eyes)
check how well you see
fix
repair
deliver
bring to someone’s home
Practice
Put the words in the right order.
Speaking
Talk about services you use: what you have done regularly, what you had done recently and what you need to get done soon.
Writing
Write a to-do list for moving house (6–8 items) using have/get something done.
Lesson quiz
She’s going to ___ her nails done.
Review
Key points
- have + object + participle = someone does it for you.
- Any tense: had, am having, am going to have.
- get something done (informal); had my bag stolen.
What you learned
- ✓ I can talk about services.
- ✓ I can use have/get something done.
- ✓ I can describe things that happened to me.
Grammar reference: The passive voice