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8.2.2 Causative structures with an agent

In the following causative structures, the agent is the object of the main clause.

MAKE + object + bare infinitive

This structure means "force someone to do something they do not want to do":

The teacher made Jack rewrite the composition.
His mom made him clean his room again.

Make + object + bare infinitive can also mean "cause someone to do something":

Don't make me laugh.
The film made me cry.

In the passive voice, make takes a to-infinitive:

Jack was made to rewrite the composition.

GET + object + TO-infinitive

This structure means "persuade someone to do something". It is similar in meaning to have + object + bare infinitive but is more informal:

Finally, we got a mechanic to repair the elevator.
I couldn't get her to understand the problem.