Causative Verbs — have / get / make / letvsTo-Infinitive (Động từ nguyên thể có "to")

Tóm tắt

Causative verbs diễn tả việc A khiến / nhờ / cho phép B làm gì.

Causative	Cấu trúc	Nghĩa
have	have + O + bare inf / V3	nhờ ai làm / để gì bị làm
get	get + O + to-inf / V3	thuyết phục / để gì bị làm
make	make + O + bare inf	bắt buộc ai phải làm
let	let + O + bare inf	cho phép ai làm
help	help + O + (to) inf	giúp ai làm

Tại sao quan trọng

Causative structures thường xuất hiện trong IELTS khi: - Thảo luận về chính sách: "The government should make people..." - Giáo dục: "Teachers let students..." - Cuộc sống hằng ngày: "I got my car repaired." - Phân tích trách nhiệm: "Parents should not let children..."

Dùng đúng causative structures thể hiện Grammatical Range in Band 7+.

Causative HAVE

1. have + Object + bare infinitive — Nhờ ai làm gì

Subject + have + Object (person) + bare infinitive

A sắp xếp, chỉ đạo để B làm gì cho A.

• I had the plumber fix the leak. (Tôi nhờ thợ ống nước sửa)
• She had her assistant prepare the report.
• He has his driver pick him up every morning.
• The manager had everyone stay late on Friday.

2. have + Object + past participle (V3) — Để gì được làm

Subject + have + Object (thing) + past participle (V3)

Nhấn mạnh vào kết quả — vật được làm (không đề cập ai làm).

• I had my car serviced last week. (xe được bảo dưỡng)
• She had her hair cut and dyed.
• We had the house painted before the event.
• He had his laptop repaired at the shop.

Phân biệt: - have sb do sth = nhờ người cụ thể làm - have sth done = để vật được làm (không quan tâm ai làm)

Causative GET

1. get + Object + to-infinitive — Thuyết phục / mất công nhờ

Subject + get + Object (person) + to-infinitive

Nghĩa tương tự "have sb do sth" nhưng ngụ ý phải cố gắng, thuyết phục hơn.

• I got my brother to help me move. (thuyết phục anh ấy giúp)
• She finally got the manager to approve the budget.
• He got his kids to clean their rooms.

2. get + Object + past participle — Để gì được làm (thường informal)

Subject + get + Object (thing) + past participle

• I need to get my glasses fixed. (nhờ sửa kính)
• She got her nails done at the salon.
• He got his phone replaced under warranty.

Have vs Get + sth done: - Cả hai đều diễn đạt "để vật được làm" - have = trung tính, cả formal và informal - get = informal hơn, thường trong spoken English

Causative MAKE

make + Object + bare infinitive — Bắt buộc, cưỡng ép

Subject + make + Object + bare infinitive

Nghĩa mạnh hơn: bắt buộc, không có lựa chọn.

• The teacher made the students rewrite their essays.
• The noise made me wake up at 3 am.
• Peer pressure makes teenagers follow trends.
• The law makes drivers wear seat belts.

Lưu ý: Trong passive voice, "make" dùng to-infinitive: - Active: She made him apologise. - Passive: He was made to apologise (by her).

Causative LET

let + Object + bare infinitive — Cho phép

Subject + let + Object + bare infinitive

Cho phép ai làm gì — không ngăn cản.

• She let her children stay up late on weekends.
• The teacher let students use dictionaries during the test.
• Don't let this opportunity slip away.
• Parents should let children make their own decisions.

let vs allow: - let + bare inf: Let me know. (informal) - allow + to-inf: He was allowed to leave. (formal)

Causative HELP

help + Object + (to) infinitive

Subject + help + Object + (to-)infinitive

Cả bare infinitive và to-infinitive đều chấp nhận được, nhưng bare infinitive nghe tự nhiên hơn trong spoken English.

• She helped her friend (to) find a job.
• Technology helps students learn more effectively.
• Exercise helps people maintain a healthy weight.
• Can you help me (to) solve this problem?

So sánh toàn bộ causative structures

Causative	Dạng V theo sau	Ý nghĩa	Ví dụ
make	bare infinitive	Bắt buộc, cưỡng ép	She made him apologise.
let	bare infinitive	Cho phép	He let her leave early.
have (người)	bare infinitive	Nhờ / chỉ đạo	I had him fix it.
have (vật)	V3	Để được làm	I had it fixed.
get (người)	to-infinitive	Thuyết phục	She got him to help.
get (vật)	V3	Để được làm	I got it repaired.
help	(to) infinitive	Giúp	She helped me (to) study.

Lỗi thường gặp

Lỗi 1: Dùng "to" sau make và let

• ❌ The teacher made him to stay after class.
• ✅ The teacher made him stay after class.
• ❌ She let me to borrow her book.
• ✅ She let me borrow her book.

Lỗi 2: Nhầm have sth done với have sb do sth

• ❌ I had the mechanic fixed my car. (sai — cần bare inf sau person)
• ✅ I had the mechanic fix my car. (have + person + bare inf)
• ❌ I had my car fix. (sai — cần V3 sau thing)
• ✅ I had my car fixed. (have + thing + V3)

Lỗi 3: Quên passive form của make trong câu bị động

• ❌ He was made apologise.
• ✅ He was made to apologise. (passive → to-infinitive)

Lỗi 4: Nhầm let và make

• ❌ My parents let me study every day. (không ai "bắt" học)
• ✅ My parents made me study every day. (bắt buộc)
• ❌ She made her daughter wear anything she wanted. (không cưỡng ép)
• ✅ She let her daughter wear anything she wanted. (cho phép)

Ứng dụng trong IELTS

Writing Task 2 — Thảo luận chính sách:

• "Governments should make corporations pay higher environmental taxes."
• "Schools should let students choose their own subjects to a greater extent."
• "Parents who let children spend unlimited time on screens are doing them a disservice."
• "Technology helps people access information that was previously unavailable."

Writing Task 2 — Nguyên nhân-kết quả:

• "Urbanisation has made many people abandon traditional lifestyles."
• "The media makes consumers believe they need things they don't."
• "Social pressure gets teenagers to conform even when they disagree."

Speaking Part 3 — Thảo luận:

• "I think parents should let children make some of their own decisions from an early age."
• "Strict teachers who make students memorise everything don't encourage creativity."
• "I had my essay checked by a native speaker before submitting it."

Speaking Part 2 — Kể chuyện:

• "My manager had us work overtime to meet the deadline."
• "My teacher got me to rewrite the essay from scratch — it was painful but helpful."

Bài tập luyện

Điền dạng động từ đúng

1. She made her son ___ (clean) his room before dinner.
2. I need to get my laptop ___ (repair) — it keeps crashing.
3. The doctor let the patient ___ (leave) after two days.
4. Can you help me ___ (carry) these boxes?
5. She had the photographer ___ (take) photos at the event.

Sửa lỗi

1. He made his employees to work on weekends.
2. I had my car fix yesterday.
3. She got her friend helped her move.
4. Let him to use your phone for a moment.
5. He was made apologise publicly.

Đáp án

Dạng động từ: 1. clean | 2. repaired | 3. leave | 4. (to) carry | 5. take

Sửa lỗi: 1. He made his employees work on weekends. (make + bare inf) 2. I had my car fixed yesterday. (have + thing + V3) 3. She got her friend to help her move. (get + person + to-inf) 4. Let him use your phone. (let + bare inf) 5. He was made to apologise publicly. (passive make → to-inf)

Tóm tắt nhanh

Muốn nói	Dùng	Cấu trúc
Bắt buộc	make	make + O + bare inf
Cho phép	let	let + O + bare inf
Nhờ (người)	have	have + O + bare inf
Để (vật) được làm	have/get	have/get + O + V3
Thuyết phục	get	get + O + to-inf
Giúp đỡ	help	help + O + (to) inf

Quy tắc vàng: - make / let / have (người) → bare infinitive (không "to") - get (người) → to-infinitive - have / get (vật) → past participle (V3) - Passive của make: was/were made to + inf (thêm "to")

Tóm tắt

To-infinitive = to + động từ nguyên thể — được dùng sau một số động từ nhất định, để diễn tả mục đích, và sau nhiều tính từ; khác với gerund (V-ing) ở chỗ nó hướng về hành động sẽ xảy ra hoặc kết quả mong muốn.

Tại sao quan trọng

To-infinitive có mặt trong hầu hết mọi câu tiếng Anh phức tạp: - Sau động từ phổ biến: want to go, hope to find, decide to stay - Diễn tả mục đích: I study English to get a better job. - Sau tính từ: It's important to practise every day.

Trong IELTS Speaking và Writing, bạn cần to-infinitive để: - Nói về mong muốn, kế hoạch, quyết định (Part 1, 2, 3) - Giải thích lý do, mục đích trong bài luận (Writing Task 2) - Tránh lỗi nhầm với gerund — một trong những lỗi thường gặp nhất ở Band 5-6

Định nghĩa

To-infinitive = to + base verb (động từ ở dạng nguyên thể)

To-infinitive	Nghĩa
to go	đi
to learn	học
to speak	nói
to finish	hoàn thành
to be	là / tồn tại
to have	có

Phân biệt "to" giới từ và "to" infinitive: - "I walk to school." → to = giới từ (chỉ hướng) - "I want to go to school." → to go = to-infinitive (sau want)

Cấu trúc

to + base verb (không thay đổi theo chủ ngữ hay thời)

Phủ định to-infinitive:

not + to + base verb

• She decided not to come to the party.
• I chose not to say anything.

To-infinitive bị động:

to + be + past participle

• The problem needs to be solved immediately.
• She wants to be promoted this year.

To-infinitive hoàn thành:

to + have + past participle

• She claims to have met him before.
• I'm lucky to have had such a great teacher.

Cách dùng phổ biến

1. To-infinitive sau động từ (Verb + to-infinitive)

Đây là cách dùng phổ biến nhất. Các động từ dưới đây bắt buộc đi với to-infinitive, không dùng gerund:

Verb + to + base verb

Động từ	Ví dụ
want	I want to travel the world.
hope	She hopes to find a new job.
plan	We plan to move next year.
decide	He decided to stay home.
need	You need to practise more.
expect	I expect to finish by noon.
promise	She promised to help me.
agree	They agreed to work together.
refuse	He refused to apologise.
offer	She offered to drive us there.
manage	I managed to fix the problem.
fail	He failed to meet the deadline.
tend	People tend to forget names.
afford	We can't afford to waste time.
appear	She appears to be very busy.
seem	It seems to be getting colder.

• ❌ SAI: I want going abroad.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: I want to go abroad.

2. To-infinitive diễn tả mục đích (Purpose)

Dùng to-infinitive thay cho "in order to" — ngắn gọn hơn, tự nhiên hơn:

[main clause] + to + base verb (= in order to + base verb)

• I study every day to improve my English.
• She went to the library to find information for her essay.
• We need to act now to protect the environment.
• Many people move to cities to find better opportunities.

Khi câu cần trang trọng hơn, dùng "in order to": - Governments must invest in education in order to reduce inequality.

Lưu ý: Không dùng "for + to-infinitive" để diễn tả mục đích khi chủ ngữ không thay đổi. - ❌ SAI: I study for to improve my English. - ✅ ĐÚNG: I study to improve my English.

3. To-infinitive sau tính từ (Adjective + to-infinitive)

It + be + adjective + to + base verb
Subject + be + adjective + to + base verb

Cấu trúc "It is + adj + to-inf": - It's important to practise speaking every day. - It's difficult to master a new language. - It was surprising to hear the news. - It is essential to consider all perspectives.

Sau tính từ mô tả cảm xúc hoặc thái độ: - I'm happy to help you. - She was surprised to see me there. - He was reluctant to admit his mistake. - I'm ready to start.

Sau tính từ mô tả thứ tự/mức độ (too/enough): - She's old enough to make her own decisions. - The problem is too complex to ignore. - He spoke too quickly to understand.

4. To-infinitive sau danh từ (Noun + to-infinitive)

Dùng to-infinitive để mô tả chức năng hoặc ý định liên quan đến danh từ:

Noun + to + base verb

• I have a lot of work to do today.
• She is looking for a place to live.
• He has the ability to learn quickly.
• This is an opportunity to improve your skills.
• Is there anything to eat in the fridge?

5. To-infinitive sau "wh-words" (Question Word + to-infinitive)

Dùng sau how, what, where, when, who, which để rút gọn mệnh đề phụ:

wh-word + to + base verb

• I don't know what to say.
• She wasn't sure where to go.
• Could you tell me how to get there?
• I've been wondering whether to apply for the job.
• We need to decide when to start.

Dấu hiệu nhận biết

Dùng to-infinitive khi...	Ví dụ
Sau: want, hope, plan, decide, need, agree, refuse, offer, manage	I want to learn.
Diễn tả mục đích (= để làm gì)	I came here to study.
Sau: It is + adj + ...	It is hard to explain.
Sau: too + adj / adj + enough	Too tired to continue
Sau: wh-word (how, what, where...)	I know how to do it.
Sau: first, last, next, only + noun	She was the first to arrive.

Ví dụ

Ví dụ giao tiếp tự nhiên

• A: Why are you studying so hard?

• B: I want to pass my IELTS exam and to apply for a scholarship abroad.

• A: What are your plans for the future?

• B: I hope to start my own business one day. I've decided to save money first so that I can afford to take that risk.

Ví dụ IELTS

(Speaking Part 1) "I tend to read in my free time. I find it difficult to concentrate if there's too much noise around me, so I prefer to read in quiet places."

(Speaking Part 2) "I'd like to talk about a goal I've been working towards. I decided to learn coding two years ago, not just to improve my career prospects, but also to challenge myself."

(Writing Task 2) "Governments need to invest in public transport to reduce traffic congestion. It is also essential to encourage citizens to consider more sustainable options. Failing to address this issue now will have long-term consequences."

Lỗi thường gặp

Lỗi 1: Dùng gerund thay to-infinitive sau want/hope/plan/decide

• ❌ SAI: I want going abroad.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: I want to go abroad.
• ❌ SAI: She hopes finding a better job.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: She hopes to find a better job.
• ❌ SAI: We plan moving to a new city.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: We plan to move to a new city.
• TẠI SAO: Trong tiếng Việt, "muốn đi", "hy vọng tìm", "dự định chuyển" đều dùng động từ trực tiếp. Trong tiếng Anh, nhóm want/hope/plan/decide chỉ đi với to-infinitive.

Lỗi 2: Bỏ "to" trong to-infinitive

• ❌ SAI: I decided stay home.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: I decided to stay home.
• ❌ SAI: She managed finish the project.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: She managed to finish the project.
• TẠI SAO: To-infinitive trong tiếng Anh bắt buộc phải có "to" (trừ trường hợp bare infinitive sau modal verbs).

Lỗi 3: Dùng to-infinitive sau giới từ (phải dùng gerund)

• ❌ SAI: I'm interested in to learn more.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: I'm interested in learning more.
• ❌ SAI: She left without to say anything.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: She left without saying anything.
• TẠI SAO: Sau giới từ (in, on, of, for, without, about...) luôn dùng gerund, không bao giờ dùng to-infinitive.

Lỗi 4: Dùng "for to" thay vì chỉ "to" cho mục đích

• ❌ SAI: I study English for to get a better job.
• ✅ ĐÚNG: I study English to get a better job.
• TẠI SAO: "For to + verb" không phải cấu trúc tiếng Anh chuẩn. Chỉ dùng "to" hoặc "in order to".

Lỗi 5: Nhầm "to" giới từ với "to" of to-infinitive

• "I'm looking forward to meeting you." → to = giới từ → sau đó dùng gerund
• "I want to meet you." → to = dấu hiệu of infinitive → sau đó dùng base verb
• TẠI SAO: "look forward to", "be used to", "in addition to" đều có "to" là giới từ → dùng gerund sau đó.

So sánh với

To-Infinitive vs. Gerund

	To-infinitive	Gerund
Hình thức	to + base verb	base verb + -ing
Hướng về	Tương lai / kết quả mong muốn	Hành động chung chung / đã xảy ra
Sau động từ	want, hope, plan, decide, need, agree...	enjoy, avoid, mind, finish, keep, suggest...
Sau giới từ	❌ Không dùng	✅ Luôn dùng
Làm chủ ngữ	To swim is fun. (ít tự nhiên)	Swimming is fun. (tự nhiên hơn)

Động từ dùng được cả hai nhưng đổi nghĩa:

Động từ	+ Gerund	+ To-infinitive
stop	He stopped smoking. (bỏ thuốc)	He stopped to smoke. (dừng lại để hút)
remember	I remember meeting her. (nhớ đã gặp)	Remember to call him. (nhớ gọi nhé)
forget	I'll never forget seeing that film. (quên lần đã xem)	Don't forget to buy milk. (đừng quên mua)
try	Try adding more spice. (thử thêm gia vị xem)	Try to sleep early. (cố gắng ngủ sớm)
regret	I regret saying that. (hối tiếc đã nói)	I regret to inform you... (tiếc phải thông báo)

Lưu ý cho người học Việt Nam

Tiếng Việt không có sự phân biệt này — "tôi muốn đi", "tôi thích đi" đều dùng động từ trực tiếp. Trong tiếng Anh: - "I want to go" (want → to-infinitive) - "I enjoy going" (enjoy → gerund)

Mẹo nhớ nhanh: 1. want, hope, plan, decide, need, agree, refuse, manage, offer, promise → to-infinitive 2. enjoy, avoid, mind, finish, keep, suggest, consider, miss, practise → gerund 3. Sau giới từ → gerund (luôn luôn) 4. Mục đích (để làm gì) → to-infinitive 5. It is + adj + ??? → to-infinitive

Ứng dụng trong IELTS

IELTS Speaking — Mẫu câu hữu ích

Nói về mục tiêu / kế hoạch: - "I'm planning to apply for a master's degree abroad." - "My goal is to become fluent in English within two years." - "I've always wanted to travel to South America."

Giải thích lý do / mục đích: - "I started exercising to improve my health." - "I moved to the city to find better career opportunities." - "People use social media to stay connected with friends."

Nói về ý kiến: - "It's important to consider both sides of the argument." - "It would be difficult to solve this problem without government support." - "I think it's essential to maintain a healthy work-life balance."

IELTS Writing — To-infinitive cho câu học thuật

Diễn tả mục đích: - "Governments must act now to prevent further environmental damage." - "Stricter laws are needed to discourage dangerous behaviour."

Diễn tả sự cần thiết: - "It is crucial to address the root causes of poverty." - "It remains important to consider the long-term consequences."

Diễn tả khả năng / xu hướng: - "Young people tend to prefer digital communication." - "This approach appears to be more effective than previous methods."

Bài tập luyện

Điền đúng dạng: To-infinitive hay Gerund?

1. I hope _____ (travel) to Europe next summer.
2. She enjoys _____ (cook) for her family.
3. He decided _____ (study) medicine.
4. They finished _____ (write) the report.
5. I go to the gym _____ (stay) healthy.
6. It's difficult _____ (learn) a new language in a short time.
7. She managed _____ (solve) the problem on her own.
8. I look forward to _____ (see) you soon.

Sửa lỗi

1. I want going to the cinema tonight.
2. She's very good at to speak English.
3. It's important practise every day.
4. I study English for to get a better job.
5. We plan moving to a larger apartment.

Đáp án

Điền đúng dạng: 1. to travel (sau hope → to-infinitive) 2. cooking (sau enjoys → gerund) 3. to study (sau decided → to-infinitive) 4. writing (sau finished → gerund) 5. to stay (mục đích → to-infinitive) 6. to learn (It's + adj + to-inf) 7. to solve (sau managed → to-infinitive) 8. seeing (look forward to → to = giới từ → gerund)

Sửa lỗi: 1. I want to go to the cinema. 2. She's very good at speaking English. 3. It's important to practise every day. 4. I study English to get a better job. 5. We plan to move to a larger apartment.

Tóm tắt nhanh

1. To-infinitive = to + động từ nguyên thể: to go, to learn, to speak
2. Sau want, hope, plan, decide, need, agree, refuse, manage, offer, promise → to-infinitive
3. Diễn tả mục đích (để làm gì): I study to improve my English
4. Sau It is + adjective: It's important to practise
5. Sau tính từ + enough / too + tính từ: old enough to decide, too hard to ignore
6. Phủ định: not to + verb → She decided not to come
7. Sau giới từ → KHÔNG dùng to-infinitive, dùng gerund thay thế