Do vs. Make Rules

   

Do and Make are two verbs which frequently confuse students. 

Here we will learn about the difference between Do and Make and when to use each one.

DO is used as follows:

1. DO is used when talking about work, jobs or tasks. 

Note, they do not produce any physical object.

Have you done your homework?

I have guests visiting tonight so I should start doing the housework now.

I wouldn't like to do that job.

2. DO is used when we refer to activities in general without being specific. In these cases, we normally use words like thing, something, nothing, anything, everything etc.

Hurry up! I've got things to do!

Don't just stand there – do something!

Is there anything I can do to help you?

3. We sometimes use DO to replace a verb when the meaning is clear or obvious. This is more common in informal spoken English:

Do I need to do my hair? (do = brush or comb)

Have you done the dishes yet? (done = washed)

I'll do the kitchen if you do the lawns (do = clean, do = mow)

When do you use MAKE?

Make is for producing, constructing, creating or building something new.

It is also used to indicate the origin of a product or the materials that are used to make something.

His wedding ring is made of gold.

The house was made of adobe.

Wine is made from grapes.

The watches were made in Switzerland

We also use Make for producing an action or reaction:

Onions make your eyes water.

You make me happy.

It’s not my fault. My brother made me do it!

Use make after certain nouns about plans and decisions:

make the arrangements              make a choice

We use Make with nouns about speaking and certain sounds:

make a comment 
make a noise                  
make a speech

We use Make with Food, Drink and Meals:

make a cake             
make a cup of tea              
make dinner

Compare Do and Make

A: You have to make a cake for Simon.

B: I’ll do it later.

Notice how in the response the verb DO is used. This is because the meaning is clear and to avoid saying “I’ll make it later.” which could sound repetitive.

Common Expressions with Do and Make

The following expressions are set collocations (combinations of words that frequently appear together) that you need to learn:

Expressions with DO

The following words are normally used with Do:

• a course
• a crossword
• a dance
• a drawing
• a favor / favour
• a job
• a painting
• a project
• a service
• an assignment
• anything
• badly
• business
• chores
• damage
• everything
• exercises
• good
• harm
• laundry
• nothing
• research
• right (the right thing)
• something
• the gardening
• the housework
• the ironing
• the dishes
• the rest
• the shopping
• the washing
• well
• work
• wrong (the wrong thing)
• your best
• your hair
• your homework
• your job
• your nails
• your work

Expressions with MAKE

The following words are normally used with MAKE:

• a bet
• a cake
• a call
• a change
• a choice
• a comment
• a complaint
• a confession
• a connection
• a cup of coffee / tea
• a date
• a decision
• a demand
• a difference
• a discovery
• a face
• a fool of yourself
• a fortune
• a friend
• a fuss
• a joke
• a line
• a list
• a living
• a loss
• a mess
• a mistake
• a noise
• a pass at someone
• a plan
• a point
• a prediction
• a profit
• a promise
• a reservation
• a sandwich
• a scene
• a sound
• a speech
• a statement
• a suggestion
• advances
• alterations
• an appointment
• an announcement
• an attempt
• an effort
• an error
• an escape
• an exception
• an excuse
• an impression
• an observation
• an offer
• amends
• arrangements
• breakfast
• certain
• clear
• dinner
• faces
• famous
• fun of someone
• love
• lunch
• inquiries
• peace
• possible
• progress
• money
• room
• sales
• sense
• someone rich
• someone smile
• sure
• trouble
• war
• your bed
• your mind up
• your way

 Exercise: choose do or make; pay attention to the verb tense forms !

1. I ----------------the shopping every Friday afternoon.
2. Please, can you -------------------------a reservation for me?
3. She doesn't ---------------------much money.
4. Nobody helps my mother to --------------------- the housework.
5. Will you -------------------------- me a favor? Help me carry this table.
6. Let's ------------------------------the appointment for 10:00 in the morning.
7. Try not to -------------------- any grammar mistakes in your writing.
8. Oh, dear! There is so much laundry to ----------------------------- !
9. She always ------------------- the dishes late at night.
10. I'll ----------------------- spaghetti for dinner. Do you like it?
11. Shescrambled eggs for breakfast.
12. Pleasethe dishes after dinner.
13. He is a carpenter. Hefurniture.
14. Two plus three ..........five
15. ----------- something!
16.  .........up your mind.
17. When I went back to the kitchen I saw the children had __________ a mess on the floor ...
18. When I got outside the door I had to __________ my way through crowds of demonstrators to get to my car.
19. The first thing he wanted me to __________ was to make up a good slogan for a publicity campaign.
20. I went to my desk but as soon as I began to work I realized someone had __________ something childish and stuck my mouse to the table with chewing gum.
21. I didn't want to __________ a mountain out of a molehill so I said nothing..
22. I took the research to my boss but he __________ an excuse and didn't look at it.