Verbs Exercise 1   Make / Do contrasted   Index

It is often confusing why the verb make may be used rather than the verb do, or do rather than make. These verbs are used in a very similar way but usually with different noun collocates (words which are often used together with other words). These verbs add the meaning of performing the action which the noun collocate refers to. There are no easy rules for knowing which verb should be used - you just have to be familiar with the collocations.

Make is often used with words like peace, war, love and money, while do is often used words like right, wrong, justice, good, harm and so on. But both are used in common colloquial expressions and idioms - we "make the beds" but "do the dishes". Try using the Web Concordancer to find examples.

The following tables show some common collocates for make and do found by the concordancer.

Right collocates for 'make'
acquisitions clear good payments saving
amendments comparison headway peace sense
amends comparisons judgments plain regulations
assumptions concessions known profit reparations
attractive conditions little profits square
believe contact love programmes straight
best container matters progress sure
better contributions merry public time
capital decisions millions recommendations trouble
careers discounts mistakes reference up
certain do money regulations use
change ends much reparations war
changes fast nests repayments waves
checks fools off representations way
choices forecasts out room wills
claims friends passes sacrifices worthwhile

 

Right collocates for 'do'
away good likewise penance
better gooder little right
business harm more something
chores homage most up
evil honor much with
enough jobs nothing without
favours justice otherwise wrong

Fill in suitable forms of make or do (or both!) :

Your Name:

(i): You must (1) several experiments before (2) a report.

(ii). After (3) the beds and (4) the dishes, Ann (5) the shopping and then helped Jeremy (6) his sums.

(iii). (7) me a favour and stop (8) that terrible noise.

(iv). All the arrangements for our holiday had been (9) when the travel agency informed us that they had (10) a mistake.

(v). He has (11) a very good translation of the original.

(vi). To (12) use of all the facilities in the gymnasium, you should (13) a contract with the board of governors.

(vii). The company (14) a lot of business with Japan.

(viii). You must (15) the most of the situation and (16) with what you can find in the cottage.

(ix). He finds it easy to (17) promises, but (18) no effort to keep them.

(x). We (19) all the components ourselves, but don't (20) the advertising.

(xi). Archimedes was not the only one to (21) a great discovery while sitting in a bath.

(xii). Mr Jones succeeded in (22) an appointment after (23) several telephone calls.

(xiii). He was operated on a month ago and has now (24) a full recovery.

(xiv). The policeman maintained that the drunken driver had (25) a U-turn, and, to (26) matters worse, had resisted when arrested.

edict virtual language centre.
All Rights Reserved.