The verbs ‘make’ and ‘do’, for learners of English, cause many problems. The reason for that fact is simple: in many other languages, the two verbs often have the same meaning.
Another reason for the problems caused by these two verbs in particular comes down to one simple concept: collocation. Collocation is defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the habitual juxtaposition of a particular word with another word or words with a frequency greater than chance”.
To simplify this concept, collocations are words that you would expect to find together in a particular language, when not referring simply to sentence structure.
Particular verbs with particular nouns, and then particular adjectives with particular nouns are the best examples of collocations, but are certainly not the only cases of where this phenomenon occurs. Here is a classic example of English collocations in action:
“The Empire State Building is a very tall building.”
“Mount Everest is a very high mountain.”
In these cases, the adjectives ‘tall’ and ‘high’ have exactly the same meaning, but it wouldn’t sound right to call the Empire State Building a ‘high building’ (‘high-rise’ would work).
Similarly, you wouldn’t call Mount Everest ‘tall’. There is no reason for this other than this has become the historical and cultural norm in English, to describe buildings as tall and mountains as high. This is a perfect example of a collocation.
So how does this relate to the verbs ‘make’ and ‘do’? Well, because in many circumstances, the decision to use ‘make’ or ‘do’ is based only on the frequency by which native speakers say it, therefore the phrase becoming ‘normal’. Here is an example:
“We currently do business in China.” Not “We currently make business in China”.
To a native English-speaker, the choice is simple, but to someone of another language, there can be nothing simple in deciding what is the correct the verb to use, especially if those two vrbs have the same meaning in your mother tongue. This is the frustration of collocations when learning another language.
How to learn collocations
Learning collocations, therefore, really comes down to experience. How well can you trust your ear when speaking the language? For that is what native speakers of any language do when they speak their language; they don’t think about the grammatical rules, they speak on instinct and the ability to recognize the correct sounds.
Listening to as much English as possible, and then making a note of these word combinations, is the best approach to take. Once you have identified a collocation, write it down, create an example sentence that is relevant to you, and then repeat the sentence frequently until the sound becomes fixed in your mind.
The best way to distinguish between ‘make’ and ‘do’ in English
Luckily, there is some logic to the way English speakers apply the verbs ‘make’ and ‘do’.
‘Make’ is applied when something is created, established, designed or invented that did not exist before the intervention of that person.
‘Do’, on the other hand, is used when an activity, which already exists, is completed. Let us look at some examples:
“I have made a mistake. I’m sorry.”
In this example, the mistake did not exist before the intervention of the person speaking. He or she created that mistake.
“I need to do my homework tonight.”
Homework is not created by the student. The activity is prescribed by a teacher, and the student then completes the activity, or is a participant in it.
Here are some more clear examples of where ‘make’ represents the creation of something, while ‘do’ is the participation in an activity:
| Based on a logical difference in meaning | |
|---|---|
| make | do |
| a decision dinner a coffee a mistake an appointment a change a choice an effort an excuse a joke a mess money an offer a telephone call a suggestion a reservation |
an exam exercise yoga the ironing your best someone a favor work the dishes a race |
Unfortunately, this will not always help you. On other occasions, as seen, the choice is simply based on collocation. In this case, you must learn the expression by heart.
| Based on collocation (habit) | |
|---|---|
| make | do |
| your bed (to tidy it) sure / certain |
damage business a good / bad job research |
However, the good news here is that many more examples follow the rules than break them.
Practical tips to practice “make” vs “do”
Focus on the two-step approach: (1) apply the basic logic – if the action creates something new, prefer “make”; if it completes or performs an activity, prefer “do” – and (2) treat exceptions as collocations to learn by exposure.
Turn new collocations into personalised drills: write short sentences using words you care about, say them aloud, and repeat them over several days. Passive exposure helps, but active production locks the pattern into memory.
- Substitution test: try replacing the verb with “create” or “perform.” If “create” makes sense, “make” is often right; if “perform” fits, “do” often works.
- Make a small collocation notebook: 10 new verb-noun pairs per week, with one sentence each, and review them with spaced repetition.
- Record short self-tests (30-60 seconds): describe your day using as many “make” and “do” phrases as you can, then check and correct.
- When unsure, search your memory for native-speaker examples (podcasts, shows) and note how the phrase is naturally used.
FAQ
Can the same noun take both “make” and “do” with different meanings?
Yes. Some nouns pair with both verbs but change meaning: one form may mean creating something (make), the other performing an action or task (do). Pay attention to context rather than expecting a single rule.
How long does it take to stop making errors with these verbs?
That depends on exposure and practice. With focused daily practice and active production, many learners see clear improvement within a few weeks; long-term fluency comes from continued use and noticing native patterns.
Is there any shortcut for exams or writing?
For formal writing, prefer the logical rule: if you are describing creation or construction, use “make”; if you describe routine, duties, or tasks, use “do.” When in doubt, rephrase the sentence to avoid ambiguity (e.g., use “perform,” “create,” or “carry out”).
