have / get something done, get someone to do it (B2 Grammar)

You already build this one: have + the thing + the past participle, for a job someone else does for you. Nothing changes here. What this lesson adds is a second pattern — for when you want to name the person you got to do it.

Recap: have + the thing + the past participle

• A hairdresser cuts my hair. → I have my hair cut.
• Someone services the car. → We have the car serviced.
• A dentist checks his teeth. → He has his teeth checked.
• Not "I cut my hair. (this means you did it)" — say "I had my hair cut. (someone did it for you)". Both are correct English, but they mean different things. When someone else does the job for you, use have + the thing + the past participle: have my hair cut.
• Try it: She arranges for a jeweler to repair her watch. A jeweler is going to repair her watch. Build what she says she does. (Leave out the word you don't need.) Answer: She is having her watch repaired. — Someone does it for her, so the thing goes in the middle and the verb is the past participle: She is having her watch repaired. "Repairing" would suggest she does it herself, so leave it out. The thing always sits between have and the past participle.

Recap: get + the thing + the past participle

And you already know get swaps in for have with no other change, a little more everyday in tone. Keep both in mind — the pattern this lesson adds also uses get, and the two are easy to confuse.

• A mechanic fixed my phone. → I got my phone fixed.
• A salon did her nails. → She got her nails done.
• Builders are doing the kitchen. → We're getting the kitchen renovated.
• Try it: A tailor took in his suit. A tailor took in his suit for him. Build what he says. (Leave out the word you don't need.) Answer: I got my suit taken in. — Someone did it for you, so put the thing in the middle and use the past participle: I got my suit taken in. "Take in" is the base verb and would break the pattern, so leave it out. It's get + the thing + the past participle.

Recap: negatives and questions use do / did

Also unchanged: have and get are ordinary verbs here, so negatives and questions work the normal way — "Did you have it done?", "I didn't get it fixed." The one thing worth re-checking is that after did / didn't you go back to the base verb: have, not had; get, not got.

• I had the car serviced. → Did you have the car serviced?
• She got her nails done. → She didn't get her nails done.
• We have the reports checked. → We don't have the reports checked.
• Not "Had you it serviced? / I hadn't it fixed." — say "Did you have it serviced? / I didn't get it fixed.". Don't invert or negate have / get by themselves. Use do / does / did and keep have / get + the thing + the past participle: Did you have it done? / I didn't get it fixed.
• Try it: You want to know if your friend arranged the repair. Ask a friend whether they arranged for someone to repair their laptop. Build the question. (Leave out the word you don't need.) Answer: Did you have your laptop repaired? — have is an ordinary verb here, so the question uses did: Did you have your laptop repaired? After did, use the base verb have, not "had," so leave "had" out. The thing + past participle (your laptop repaired) stays together.
• Try it: Nobody fixed your phone for you. Say that you did NOT arrange for anyone to fix your phone. Build the sentence. (Leave out the word you don't need.) Answer: I didn't get my phone fixed. — The negative uses didn't: I didn't get my phone fixed. After didn't, use the base verb get, not "got," so leave "got" out. The thing + past participle (my phone fixed) stays together.

New here: get + the person + to do it

This is the pattern the lesson is for. When you name the person you persuaded or asked, the shape changes: get + the person + to + the verb. Compare them — "I got my car fixed" (the thing, past participle) against "I got my brother to fix it" (the person, to + verb).

• She persuaded her friend to lend her money. → She got her friend to lend her money.
• We arranged for a neighbor to feed the cat. → We got a neighbor to feed the cat.
• I asked my brother to help me move. → I got my brother to help me move.
• Not "She got her friend lend her money." — say "She got her friend to lend her money.". When you name the person, use to + the verb: got her friend to lend.
• Try it: She persuaded a colleague to cover her shift. She persuaded a colleague to cover her shift. Build what she did. (Leave out the word you don't need.) Answer: She got her colleague to cover her shift. — She named the person she persuaded, so use get + the person + to + the verb: She got her colleague to cover her shift. "Covered" is the past participle, which belongs in the other pattern (get the thing done), not when you name the person. Here it's to cover.