Causative Verb

Method 1: "Through Whom?" Question Method (Easiest Method)

4 Steps:

1. Find verb in sentence
2. Ask "Through whom did he/she cause?"
3. If answer exists → Causative
4. If no answer → Intransitive or Transitive

5 Examples:

Example 1: Mother made child drink milk
Question: Through whom caused to drink? → child ✓ → Causative

Example 2: Teacher made student read lesson
Question: Through whom caused to read? → student ✓ → Causative

Example 3: Father made Kumar build house
Question: Through whom caused to build? → Kumar ✓ → Causative

Example 4: Mother made daughter sing song
Question: Through whom caused to sing? → daughter ✓ → Causative

Example 5: Father made son write letter
Question: Through whom caused to write? → son ✓ → Causative

Method 2: Causative Marker Identification

3 Types of Causative Markers:

1. Made: made read, made write
2. Caused: caused to read, caused to write
3. Suffix: caused reading, caused writing

5 Examples:

Example 1: Mother made child drink milk
Marker: made drink (made marker) → Causative ✓

Example 2: Teacher caused student to read lesson
Marker: caused to read (caused marker) → Causative ✓

Example 3: Mother educated daughter
Marker: educated (suffix marker) → Causative ✓

Example 4: Father made Kumar run
Marker: made run (made marker) → Causative ✓

Example 5: Mother fed child
Marker: fed (suffix marker) → Causative ✓

Method 3: Two Subjects Method

Causative has two subjects:

1. Causer (causing person)
2. Doer (actually doing person)

5 Practices:

Practice 1: Mother made child drink milk
Causer: Mother | Doer: Child → Causative ✓

Practice 2: Teacher made student read lesson
Causer: Teacher | Doer: Student → Causative ✓

Practice 3: Father made Kumar build house
Causer: Father | Doer: Kumar → Causative ✓

Practice 4: Mother made daughter sing song
Causer: Mother | Doer: Daughter → Causative ✓

Practice 5: Father made son write letter
Causer: Father | Doer: Son → Causative ✓

Method 4: Verb Conversion Method

Intransitive/Transitive → Causative conversion:

5 Conversions:

Conversion 1: read (transitive) → made read (causative)
Kumar read book → Mother made Kumar read book

Conversion 2: write (transitive) → made write (causative)
Meena wrote letter → Father made Meena write letter

Conversion 3: run (intransitive) → made run (causative)
Kumar ran → Teacher made Kumar run

Conversion 4: eat (transitive) → made eat (causative)
Child ate rice → Mother made child eat rice

Conversion 5: drink (transitive) → made drink (causative)
Child drank milk → Mother made child drink milk

Method 5: Direct Action Test

Question: Who is doing action directly?
If someone other than first subject does action → Causative

3 Tests:

Test 1: Mother made child drink milk
Who drinks? → Child (not mother) → Causative ✓

Test 2: Teacher made student read lesson
Who reads? → Student (not teacher) → Causative ✓

Test 3: Kumar read book
Who reads? → Kumar (himself) → Transitive (not causative)

Set 1: "Made" Causative (10 Examples)

Practice 1: Mother made child drink milk → Causative ✓
Practice 2: Teacher made student read lesson → Causative ✓
Practice 3: Father made Kumar build house → Causative ✓
Practice 4: Mother made daughter sing song → Causative ✓
Practice 5: Father made son write letter → Causative ✓
Practice 6: Mother made child eat rice → Causative ✓
Practice 7: Teacher made student write sum → Causative ✓
Practice 8: Grandfather made grandson read story → Causative ✓
Practice 9: Brother made younger brother play ball → Causative ✓
Practice 10: Sister made younger sister dance → Causative ✓

Set 2: "Caused" Causative (10 Examples)

Practice 11: Mother caused child to drink milk → Causative ✓
Practice 12: Teacher caused student to read lesson → Causative ✓
Practice 13: Father caused Kumar to work → Causative ✓
Practice 14: Mother caused daughter to sing song → Causative ✓
Practice 15: Father caused son to run → Causative ✓
Practice 16: Mother caused child to sleep → Causative ✓
Practice 17: Teacher caused student to write → Causative ✓
Practice 18: Grandfather caused grandson to play → Causative ✓
Practice 19: Brother caused younger brother to walk → Causative ✓
Practice 20: Sister caused younger sister to sing → Causative ✓

Set 3: Suffix Causative (5 Examples)

Practice 21: Mother educated daughter → Causative ✓
Practice 22: Teacher made student write → Causative ✓
Practice 23: Mother fed child → Causative ✓
Practice 24: Father made Kumar run → Causative ✓
Practice 25: Father made son play → Causative ✓

Set 4: Mixed Type (5 Examples)

Practice 26: Mother made child drink milk in morning → Causative ✓
Practice 27: Teacher made students read lesson in class → Causative ✓
Practice 28: Father made workers build building → Causative ✓
Practice 29: Mother educated daughter in library → Causative ✓
Practice 30: Father made son run in playground in evening → Causative ✓

TNPSC Model 5 Questions:

Question 1: "Mother made child drink milk" - What type of verb?
a) Intransitive b) Transitive c) Causative
Answer: c) Causative

Question 2: Find causative verb sentence:
a) Kumar read book b) Mother made child read c) Meena ran
Answer: b) Mother made child read

Question 3: Verb with answer to "Through whom?" question:
a) Intransitive b) Transitive c) Causative
Answer: c) Causative

Question 4: Sentence with two subjects:
a) Kumar ran b) Mother made child run c) Meena read
Answer: b) Mother made child run

Question 5: "Teacher made student read lesson" - Who actually reads?
a) Teacher b) Student c) Both
Answer: b) Student

Quick 4 Step Identification:

Step 1: Check if causative marker present in verb
Step 2: Ask "Through whom?"
Step 3: Check if two subjects exist
Step 4: Identify who is not doing action directly

Example: Mother made child drink milk
Step 1: made drink (causative marker present) ✓
Step 2: Through whom? → child ✓
Step 3: Two subjects → mother, child ✓
Step 4: Not drinking directly → mother ✓
Result: Causative

3 Verb Types Detailed Difference:

1. Subject Count:
   Intransitive: One subject
   Transitive: One subject
   Causative: Two subjects

2. Object:
   Intransitive: No
   Transitive: Yes
   Causative: Yes (sometimes)

3. Action Doer:
   Intransitive: Subject itself
   Transitive: Subject itself
   Causative: Someone else

4. Question:
   Intransitive: How?
   Transitive: What?
   Causative: Through whom?

5. Example:
   Intransitive: Kumar ran
   Transitive: Kumar read book
   Causative: Mother made Kumar read

4 Common Errors:

Error 1: Not noticing second subject
❌ "Mother made child drink milk" - This is transitive
✓ This is causative (two subjects: mother, child)

Error 2: Missing causative marker
❌ "Kumar read" - This is causative
✓ This is transitive (no causative marker)

Error 3: Causer and doer confusion
❌ "Mother made child drink milk" - Mother drinks
✓ Child drinks (Mother only causes)

Error 4: Transitive-Causative difference unknown
❌ "Kumar read book" - Causative
✓ Transitive (only one subject, Kumar reads himself)

3 TNPSC Strategies:

Strategy 1: Causative Marker Test (40%)
Check for made, caused, suffix markers - 15-20 seconds

Strategy 2: Two Subjects Finding (35%)
Check if causer and doer both exist - 20-25 seconds

Strategy 3: "Through Whom?" Question (25%)
Check if this question has answer - 15-20 seconds

Memory Shortcut:

"T - C - CA" = Two subjects - Causative marker - Causative
Two subjects exist? → Causative marker present? → Causative conclude

Simple Identification:
Two subjects + Causative marker = Causative
One subject + Object = Transitive
Only one subject = Intransitive

Before Exam 5 Tips:

1. Memorize made, caused, suffix markers
2. Practice 20 causative sentences
3. Learn intransitive-transitive-causative difference clearly
4. Practice finding two subjects
5. Practice 10 model questions in 3 minutes

During Exam 5 Steps:

1. Read sentence twice
2. Check if causative marker in verb
3. Ask "Through whom?"
4. Check if two subjects exist
5. Write type

Score Distribution:

TNPSC General Tamil: 2-3 questions | Each: 1 mark | Total: 2-3 marks

5 Additional Notes:

1. Causative always needs two subjects
2. Must differentiate between direct doer and causer
3. Made, caused, suffix - all three markers important
4. "Through whom?" question is key test
5. Causer always comes as first subject