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Victorycountry Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Need it repaired

Hi,

I often here people say "I need it repaired" or " I need it done"
It seems that the "need" functions as the "have" of casuative verbs.

But on the list of causative verbs, it seems that "need" is missing.

Could someone please confirm me whether "need" is a casuative verb and it works as "have".

Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

Hello Victory I think, rigorously speaking, "causative verbs" are defined as verbs which can take a construction of "S V O do", that, is "subject + causative verb + object + bare infinitive". So according to this definition, the 'need' in your sentence is not a causative verb. "S needs O done" is a normal English collocation and my dictionary gives an example; "We need our room decorated".

— Paco2004

  • Hello Victory I think, rigorously speaking, "causative verbs" are defined as verbs which can take a construction of "S V O do", that, is "subject + causative verb + object + bare infinitive".
  • So according to this definition, the 'need' in your sentence is not a causative verb.
  • "S needs O done" is a normal English collocation and my dictionary gives an example; "We need our room decorated".
  • You can say also "Our room needs decorated" if you want to speak like a citizen of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
  • paco
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10 Answers
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Hello Victory

I think, rigorously speaking, "causative verbs" are defined as verbs which can take a construction of "S V O do", that, is "subject + causative verb + object + bare infinitive". So according to this definition, the 'need' in your sentence is not a causative verb.

"S needs O done" is a normal English collocation and my dictionary gives an example; "We need our roo
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Paco,

Isn't "I had it repaired" causative?

If not, what does your source call that construction?

Thanks.
Jim
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CJ

I didn't say 'SVO done' is not a causative construction. I just said 'causative verbs' are defined (in strict sense) as verbs that can take a form of 'SVO do' and 'need' doesn't agree with it. Was I wrong?

By the way is 'We needed our room decorated' a real causative sentence? I don't think this sentence necessarily implies 'we actually caused our room decorated', though
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I'm not sure I agree with this definition of "causative". At least I've never heard that definition before!

I'll let John write the letter.
I helped Susan reach the top shelf.
I saw Jerry climb the tree.

From your definition, as I understand it, "let", "help", and "saw", which can occur in SVO+bare infinitive constructions, are 'causative verbs'.

Is that w
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CJ

No! SEE is a perception verb. Even if I SEE my wife buy too many things in a department store, I cannot do her anything. So SEE is not a causative verb.

paco
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Hi, Paco,

I wonder if we have here an interesting case of misunderstanding. Emotion: smile
I think, rigorously speaking
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Hello CJ

I should admit my definition about the causative verb was insufficient. Along with causative verbs, perception verbs also take the structure that we cannot define the causative verbs only by the structure pattern. This understanding of mine is OK? Anyway 'need' is not a causative verb according to my understanding.

paco
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Paco,

Yes. You understood my explanation. And now I understand yours better, too.
I agree with you.

CJ
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0As I understand, causative verbs in English are 01i00bid, have, let and make02i00. Other verbs, even though their meanings are something like 'cause', are treated as causative verbs. Evern the verb '01i00cause02i00' is not a causative verb, nor is 01i00force02i00. I guess the "SOV+bare infinitive" pattern can be a measure whe
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0Hi Jim02br
02br
00Pardon me for intruding. 00 00I personally treat this kind of construct like this: 02br
02br
02br
02br
01font00I’d like my steak02font00 01font00cooked02font00 medium-rare. 02br
02br
01font
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