Intermediate 📐 Grammar · #298 of 305

Make vs Do: Collocations

Fixed combinations with make and do.

Examples

  • make a decision
  • do homework

Key rules

  • Make is used for creating, producing or causing (make a decision, a mistake, a noise, a cake)
  • Do is used for activities and tasks (do homework, the dishes, a favour)
  • Learn them as fixed collocations
  • Do is also common with the, some, any (do some work)

Common mistakes

  • I make my homework → I do my homework
  • He did a mistake → He made a mistake
💡 Tip: Learn collocations in groups, not one by one.
Practise this topic in the appPractise Intermediate quiz
← Get + Adjective / Past ParticipleCome, Go, Bring, Take →

Related Intermediate topics

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Present Perfect Continuous

have been + -ing stresses duration up to now.

Past Perfect

had + past participle for an earlier past action.

Past Perfect Continuous

had been + -ing for duration before a past moment.

Future Continuous

will be + -ing for actions in progress at a future time.

Future Perfect

will have + past participle for completion before a future time.

Future Perfect Continuous

will have been + -ing for duration up to a future point.