Verb Collocations

“Do”

&

“Make”

By:

Mubarak Abdessalami

TEACHERS!

In case we want to teach our students word associations or collocations for the

enrichment of their target language repertoire, I guess we have first to broach the
collocations made up from the verbs «do» and «make» because they are very often
confused and confusing. If there are any word associations that need such
attentiveness and intensive concentrated practice will surely be the cases in which
«do» and «make» are used to describe actions. Both of them work better and more
authentically than each other because none of them dare replace the other in any
domain supervised, predominated and controlled by each one of them. This is said, we
have to take it for granted that both of the verbs almost describe the same action. It
is this similarity between them which makes it imperative for us -teachers- to show
our students the right use for the right reason of the word combinations with the
verbs «to do» and «to make»

"We'll

make

dinner provided that you

do

the dishes".

Never can 'do' venture to do the job of 'make' or otherwise 'make' can make

any choice concerning the job 'do' does. I simply mean that the verbs 'to do' and 'to
make' have already made their decisions about the actions each of both has to handle.

In the law of grammar, it is a transgression of the treaty of collocations to say

for instance,

- Everybody does mistakes.*
- Everybody should make his best.*

None of the two sentences are tolerated by the rules of collocation and no

respectful language user would «make such mistakes».

We -all of us- have to do our students a favour by making an extra effort so as

to make progress noticeable.

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STUDENTS!

You are learning English as a foreign language so you are supposed to be faced

with the challenge of using the right word combination for both 'make' and 'do'. Don't
forget that your mother language -with all its heavy cultural background- will affect
your understanding of this duality of expressing the performance, accomplishment or
exertion of an act or a deed in the English language. 'Make' and 'do' express the same
thing but each one is used irreplaceably in combination with particular actions.

It is easy but you need to continuously practice them so that these crucial

details stick in your head. The following table will show you some frequent uses of the
word combinations with both do and make. These collocations have to be learnt quite
curiously so as not to be confused and therefore confusing. Don't forget that native
speakers wouldn't understand you if it happens that you misused the combination.

Do

+ the shopping
+ work
+ homework
+ housework
+ the cleaning
+ the cooking
+ the laundry
+ the salad
+ the dishes
+ gardening
+ something
+ nothing
+ a good job
+ business
+ errands
+ a favour
+ a puzzle
+ exercise
+ an exercise
+ science (at school)
+ the washing
+ the washing up
+ a quiz

2

+ a text
+ good
+ harm
+ well
+ fine
+ wisely
+ your best

Make

+ progress

+ a mess
+ furniture
+ trouble
+ war
+ peace
+ a change
+ plans
+ arrangements
+ a telephone call
+ a deal
+ a scene
+ an effort
+ an excuse
+ a mistake
+ a noise
+ trouble
+ a phone call
+ a journey
+ an offer
+ a suggestion
+ a speech
+ a decision
+ a choice
+ the bed
+ a dress
+ money
+ a fortune
+ a profit
+ friends
+ food
+ a meal

3

+ breakfast
+ lunch
+ dinner
+ a promise
+ a list
+ a cake
+ a sentence
+ an exception
+ a cup coffee
+ a glass of tea

Do it yourself now

# Write as many sentences with 'make' & 'do' as you can, taking the chart above for
guidance.

Examples
- We don't normally work on Sundays; but I'll make an exception for you.
- The students are going to do the test soon.

- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________

Quiz

*/

Fill in the blanks with the right word. Click 'do' or 'make'

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01. Will you _____ me a favour, please? Write something first.
02. It's your turn to _____ the dishes today.
03. I will _____ a list of the things we need.
04. Ok! I will _____ an exception for you.
05. Please, don't _____ mistakes.
06. I need to go out now. It's urgent. I have to _____a phone call.
07. The good students always _____ their homework.
08. My father won't _____ the cleaning.
09. The workers I hire always _____ a good job.
10. My husband never helps me _____ dinner.
11. I always _____ the washing up myself.
12. The students don't like to _____ quizzes.
13. The menu was so good that it was difficult for us to _____ a choice.
14. The soldiers are obliged to _____ their beds every morning.
15. _____ an effort to finish the work before lunch time.
16. The doctor asked me to _____ exercise.
17. I don't know how people can _____ money without hard work.
18. The deadline is for tomorrow and we have to ____ a decision quickly.
19. They wanted to _____ an offer to build the bridge.
20. Can anybody _____ a suggestion? I am completely in the dark.

____________________________________________________________

Key

1. do
2. do
3. make
4. make
5. make
6. make
7. do
8. do
9. make
10. do
11. do
12. do
13. make
14. make

5

15. make
16. do
17. make
18. make
19. make
20. make

“Perfect Practice makes perfect”

____________________________________________________________________________

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