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grammar
Have something done

Double-click on any word and see its definition from Cambridge Dictionaries Online.

Practise with a grammar game

In English, unlike some Latin-based languages, we cannot say that we do, did or are going to do something if it is in fact another person who is going to perform the action.

In Portuguese, for example, you might say:

Vou cortar o cabelo (I am going to cut my hair)

and actually mean that you are going to the barber's or hairdresser's, where a professional will actually do the cutting.

In English, if you say "I am going to cut my hair" it means that you will sit down in front of a mirror with the scissors and do it yourself.

When we wish to talk about arranging for things to be done by other people, we use the structure to have something done:

I am going to have my hair cut.
I have my car serviced every two months.
We had the house redecorated over the summer.

It is also possible to use the verb get instead of have:

I am going to get my hair cut.
I get my car serviced every two months.
We got the house redecorated over the summer.

More information about to have something done:

http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/Pass3.cfm

An exercise on to have something done:

http://www.better-english.com/grammar/havedone.htm

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