What Does Have Something Done Mean?
Have + object + past participle means someone else does a job for you, usually a service you pay for. The object is the thing the job is done to: my hair, my bike.
YOU DO ITMinh used his own tools
Minh fixed his bike himself.
SOMEONE ELSE DOES ITA mechanic did it; Minh paid
Minh had his bike fixed.
BAD LUCKNobody asked, but it happened to her
She had her bag stolen.
I cut my hair: I did it. I had my hair cut: a hairdresser did it.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"Your nails look lovely! Did you do them yourself?" "No, I blank at the salon."
The forms
Have changes with the tense. The object and past participle stay the same.
PAST SIMPLE
Shadobjectpast participle
I had my watch repaired last month.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Sam / is / are havingobjectpast participle
We're having the house painted next month.
An arrangement for the future.
PRESENT PERFECT
Shave / has hadobjectpast participle
I've just had my teeth cleaned.
QUESTION
do / didShaveobjectpast participle?
Where do you usually have your motorbike washed?
Have is a normal verb here, so questions use do or did.
GET (INFORMAL)
Sgetobjectpast participle
You should get that tooth checked.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"I'm blank my jacket cleaned this week."
Had My Laptop Repaired or Had Repaired My Laptop?
| HAD + OBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE | HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE + OBJECT | |
|---|---|---|
| Who did it | someone else | you |
| Grammar | have something done | past perfect |
| Example | I had my fridge fixed. | I had fixed the fridge before Mum got home. |
Move the object, and you change who did the job.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"My TV stopped working, so I blank at a shop."
Common mistakes
Incorrect:I repaired my motorbike at the shop yesterday.
Correct:I had my motorbike repaired at the shop yesterday.
The mechanic did it, not you.
Incorrect:I had repaired my laptop at the shop.
Correct:I had my laptop repaired at the shop.
Put the object before the past participle.
Incorrect:Last week I have my phone screen replaced.
Correct:Last week I had my phone screen replaced.
Have carries the tense. Last week needs had.
Incorrect:Where did you had your suit made?
Correct:Where did you have your suit made?
After did, use the base verb: have.
Incorrect:She had her dress make by a tailor.
Correct:She had her dress made by a tailor.
After the object, the past participle: made.
Quick check · 5 questions
Choose the correct words:
My glasses broke, so I had them fixed at the optician's.
- A. had them fixed — Correct
- B. had fixed them
Answer: A. had them fixed
The optician fixed them. Had fixed them is the past perfect: you did it yourself.
Choose the correct word:
Hoa has had her hair dyed red!
- A. had — Correct
- B. have
- C. having
Answer: A. had
Have changes with the tense like any other verb.
Choose the correct word:
Lan had her phone stolen at the bus station.
- A. had — Correct
- B. was
- C. did
Answer: A. had
Nobody asked the thief, but it happened to Lan. Was stolen needs the phone as the subject.
Choose the correct word:
How often do you have your car serviced?
- A. have — Correct
- B. having
- C. had
Answer: A. have
A present simple question uses do, so have stays in its base form.
Choose the correct word:
I need to get my laptop fixed.
- A. fixed — Correct
- B. fix
- C. fixing
Answer: A. fixed
Get something done means the same as have something done. It's more informal.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 14 questions