Using MAKE and DO

MAKE and DO can be confused in English because their meanings are so similar.

MAKE often has the idea of creating or constructing.

DO often has the idea of completing or performing.

These are only some of the uses of MAKE and DO.

Many of their uses are idiomatic and therefore difficult to classify.

MAKE	DO
Make money	Do your best
Make an effort	Do the laundry
Make sure	Do the dishes
Make love	Do something on purpose
Make war	Do something….
Make a deal	Do several things
Make a mess	Do a favor
Make an exercise or a test (create it)	Do homework
Make a phone call	Do the exercise or a test (solve)
Make a decision	Do business with a person
Make an appointment	Do something for you / Do something to me
Made in CR	Do something now !!!
Make good / bad time	Do exercises (physical fitness)
Make connections / Make a connection	Do assignments
Make dinner/lunch/a cake	Do a good / bad job
Make mistakes	Do magic
Make the bed	Do a disappearing act
Make somebody happy / strong	Do a service for (help or make comfortable)
Make changes / make a change	Do drugs
Make excuses	Do (play) a song
Make progress	Do a service for (help)
Make a fool of (humiliate)	“nothing to do”
Make a list	Do over (revise or do again)
Make friends	Do without (survive or exist without something)
Extra: using both (make-do) simultaneously Example ** I’ll make do with what I have now (manage or survive)

Written Practice:

Solve the following structures by using MAKE and/or DO………Be careful with tenses.

a) If you want to buy that car, I'm sure we can __________ a good deal. Let’s talk.

b) I need to __________ an appointment to visit my doctor in the afternoon.

c) She __________me a favor last month and helped me a lot. I won’t forget that…..

d) I'm afraid I can't go to the movies in the afternoon. I'm going to __________my homework after school.

e) How much money does your father __________ in a year?

f) Tom’s __________a phone call at the moment; he'll be back shortly.

g) It was difficult for him, but he finally __________ that decision yesterday.

h) __________ business with Jack has been an outstanding experience.

i) Everything I do…..I’ll __________ it for you…..

j) Could you __________ me a favor? I need $10,000….that’s all…J

k) Tim! I told you to not to __________ a mess in the living room!

l) It was good while it lasted; however, make up your mind and __________ a decision now.

m) Ok, I’ll try to pass the course. I’ll __________ extra efforts…..I’m gonna try to __________ my best……

I promise.

n) She was __________ hundreds of things at the same time and couldn’t finish her homework.

o) To __________ love as if it were a game is not usual at all in my country. However, some people just have

irresponsible sex to have a good time.

p) Yes, I saw her. She __________ that on purpose…..she knew it was not appropriate to steal the products in

that supermarket.

q) Ok, It’s easy to __________ good time on city streets at night. We’ll be there in no time.

r) Gee….I’m so tired….!!!. I practiced aerobics and __________ a lot of exercises in the gym.

s) It’s time for you to __________ an extra effort today….this is your last opportunity to have that amazing body

you always wanted to have…

t) They are __________ business with family and that’s a terrible mistake.

u) Who __________ that phone call, Maria? You’ve been talking on the phone for more than 2 hours…..and you

know that’s expensive.

v) I’m fed up with all these household chores…..I __________ my bed, __________ the dishes and cleaned the

house. I’m exhausted.

w) Patricia is a cool girl, but it is so hard for her to __________ friends easily. I don’t know why…

x) You’d better __________ this letter __________ because it is written so poorly.

y) As a traveling salesperson, Monica can’t __________ her car. It is extremely necessary..!