Advanced Usage and Tenses
This page delves deeper into the have something done construction, exploring its use in various tenses and with modal verbs.
The have something done structure can be used in multiple tenses to express different time frames:
- Past Perfect: They had had their house redecorated before I went to Spain.
- Future: We will have our pool drained next summer.
- Present Continuous: They are having their central heating installed.
Example: By next month, I will have had my car serviced three times this year.
The construction can also be used with modal verbs for added meaning:
- Must: You must have your bike repaired now.
- Should: We should have our lawn mowed soon.
- Might: They might have their walls painted next month.
Highlight: Using have something done with modal verbs allows for expressing necessity, advice, or possibility regarding actions performed by others.
It's important to note that the tense or modal affects the "have" part of the construction, while the main verb remains in its past participle form.
Vocabulary: Modal verbs - Auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability, such as can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would.
Mastering the use of have something done in various tenses and with modal verbs provides a powerful tool for expressing a wide range of situations where services are performed on our behalf.
