Home › B2 › Grammar › Let, make, help, get someone to do
Let, make, help, get someone to do
B2 B2 grammar · lesson 20 of 21
These verbs show how one person causes, allows or helps another person to do something. Each verb has its own pattern, and small mistakes here are very common.
The patterns
| Verb | Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| make | make + person + infinitive (no to) | force someone | My boss made me work late. |
| let | let + person + infinitive (no to) | allow someone | Her parents let her stay out late. |
| help | help + person + infinitive with or without to | assist someone | Can you help me (to) carry this? |
| get | get + person + to-infinitive | persuade someone | I got Tom to fix my bike. |
| have | have + person + infinitive (no to) | ask someone to do a task | I’ll have my assistant call you. |
The teacher made us rewrite the essay.
Will you let me use your phone?
Lucy helped her brother find a job.
I finally got my son to tidy his room.
Don’t let the dog sleep on the sofa.
Sad films always make me cry.
We got a neighbour to water our plants.
Passive and other notes
Make in the passive needs to: We were made to wait for two hours. Let has no passive form; use be allowed to instead: We were allowed to leave early (not We were let to leave).
Compare this lesson with Lesson 7. I had the mechanic repair my car (person + infinitive) and I had my car repaired (thing + past participle) describe the same service. With get, the person takes to: I got the mechanic to repair it.
Help can also be used without a person: These exercises help (to) improve your memory. Make can also be followed by an adjective instead of a verb: The news made her happy. And let’s (let us) is used for suggestions, which you already know: Let’s go!
Common mistakes
✗ My mum made me to clean the kitchen.
✓ My mum made me clean the kitchen.
✗ He didn’t let me to drive his car.
✓ He didn’t let me drive his car.
✗ I got my friend help me.
✓ I got my friend to help me.
✗ We were let to go home.
✓ We were allowed to go home.