Is the word making a verb

By Robby

If you are new here please read this first.

This is the third article in the series about using simple English verbs to express the most diverse variety of ideas and concepts.

Here’s the first one where I looked at how to use the simplest English verb “TO PUT”.

And here’s the second one where I discussed using another simple English verb “TO GET”.

This time around we’re going to look at another very simple English verb “TO MAKE” and I’m going to show you that you can use it to express so many different things – actions, concepts and ideas – that you’ll be literally blown away by it all!

Basically the idea is to realize that you don’t necessarily have to try and find specific English verbs for every conceivable action. On a lot of occasions you can use a combination of a simple verb such as TO MAKE with another word to describe the concept.

Here’s a typical example – MAKE SURE: “You have to MAKE SURE the alarm is switched on before leaving the premises.”

If you think about it, MAKE SURE is such a simple way of describing the concept of making sure that it just doesn’t get simpler than that!

The adjective SURE describes the concept of certainty, and you just have to add the verb TO MAKE to describe the concept of someone taking action which would result in a certain outcome.

If you have the kind of a mindset whereby you can’t resist your desire to translate from your native language while speaking in English, describing even such a simple concept as “making sure” may present difficulties to you – especially considering the equivalent verb in your language most likely doesn’t consist of two simple words.

In my native language – Latvian – the concept of “making sure” is described using a longer, more complex verb (“párliecináties”), so if I were to translate from Latvian when speaking in English, I would probably struggle for a while before finding the right way of describing it in English. My mind would be trying to find a matching entry in English, but as a result it would draw a blank simply because there isn’t one!

What you have to do for your mind to stop wandering aimlessly is the following:

• Stop translating from your native language and…
• Stop trying to find ways of describing the particular activity PRECISELY!

The English language allows us to combine the verb TO MAKE with pretty much ANY ABSTRACT NOUN thus enabling us to describe actions even when we don’t know the corresponding verbs.

Let’s just pick any random abstract English noun, say, CONFESSION.

SIDENOTE: Why I said “any ABSTRACT” English noun? You see, as far as describing activities is concerned, you wouldn’t be really using English nouns that describe concrete objects. If you combine TO MAKE with A TABLE, for example, the resulting phrase TO MAKE A TABLE is to be taken literally and would be used to describe the process of someone actually making a table.

So, speaking of the noun CONFESSION – if we stick the verb TO MAKE in front of it, we get TO MAKE A CONFESSION which is a totally valid way of describing the act of confessing. Sure, there’s a simpler way of describing it – the verb TO CONFESS fulfills the purpose.

The point I’m trying to make here, however, is the following – in case you don’t know the precise English verb to describe a certain action, you can resort to using one of the simplest English verbs TO MAKE in combination with a NOUN which describes the activity in question, and chances are that you’re going to end up with a valid English expression.

Let’s pick another noun, let’s say – PROPOSAL.

If you stick the verb TO MAKE in front of it, the resulting phrase TO MAKE A PROPOSAL is a very valid way of describing the very act of someone putting forward a suggestion to some other person.

And once again – yes, there’s a verb which can also be used in situations when you have to describe the same concept, namely – TO PROPOSE. And I’m going to repeat myself once more – it’s all about situations when you just can’t think of the right verb! Furthermore, a phrase such as TO MAKE A PROPOSAL is a very, very valid English speech pattern and there’s nothing wrong with using it even when you’re very well aware of the actual verb TO PROPOSE.

And here are a few more English expressions that are combinations of the verb TO MAKE and an abstract noun:

Make a decision – obviously, there’s a verb TO DECIDE which can be used just as well, but there’s nothing stopping you from using the expression TO MAKE A DECISION!

Make a contribution – this is a very handy phrase used when describing contributions of financial nature, for example: “Thank you so much Mr. Jones, I’d like to thank you on behalf of everyone for MAKING such a huge CONTRIBUTION to our school!” Of course, there is the verb TO CONTRIBUTE, but sometimes using the verb TO MAKE in combination with the noun CONTRIBUTION sounds better – especially when you want to put emphasis on the fact that someone has made the contribution.

Make a donation – this is quite self-explanatory, isn’t it? There’s the verb TO DONATE, and then there’s the phrase TO MAKE A DONATION that carries the very same meaning and can be used interchangeably!

Make an announcement – this is actually a very good English phrase and you can use it when you want to put emphasis on the fact that you’re making the announcement. Yes, you can use the related verb TO ANNOUNCE as well, but it might be actually easier for you to use the phrase instead of the verb.

Just compare the following two ways of saying the same thing:

• Dear colleagues, I wanted to make an announcement. The thing is, I’ve decided to leave this company.
• Dear colleagues, I wanted to announce the end of my employment at this company…

I think it’s easier to go with the first option because it allows you to put things in a simpler way!

Make a wish – this is how native English speakers refer to the act of someone wishing for something specific to happen, and most commonly it’s used when speaking with another person – “MAKE A WISH!” When it’s you describing yourself wishing something, you should go with the verb TO WISH instead – “I wish you were here…”; “I make a wish you were here” sounds very wrong, don’t you agree? So basically here’s the rule to follow – if you’re telling someone else to wish for something, say “Make a wish!” If it’s your own wishes and desires you’re talking about – say: “I wish…”

Make an impression – as you might have already guessed, this English expression can be used instead of the verb TO IMPRESS. And once again I have to confess that I actually prefer using the longer phrase TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION for the simple reason that it stresses the very fact of someone making an impression.

Make an offer – “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse!” – you might have heard this famous quote from the Godfather movies, and it’s a perfect example illustrating the principle I’m discussing in this section – you could use the verb “to offer” instead because it does carry the same meaning. Well, of course, you’d have to re-phrase the question: “I’ll offer him something he can’t refuse!” – but you get the drift, right?

Make a discovery – there’s a verb TO DISCOVER – but in case you can’t remember it at the right moment – you can always resort to sticking TO MAKE in front of the noun DISCOVERY. “How on Earth could I forget the verb if it sounds almost the exact same as the noun?” – you may ask. Well, guess what? It happens all the time to foreign English speakers!

Make a phone call – this phrase can be used instead of using the verb TO CALL. So, instead of saying “I’d like to call my mom, can I use your phone?” you can simply say “I have to make a phone call, can I use your phone?” There’s also another benefit to using the longer phrase instead of the verb – you don’t have to specify who you’re going to call whereas when using the verb you have to follow it up with a noun specifying who you’re going to call.

Make a purchase – simply means to buy something, TO PURCHASE.

Make an improvement – if you combine the verb TO MAKE with the noun IMPROVEMENT, you get the equivalent of the verb TO IMPROVE, and this is also a very valid English phrase used by native English speakers worldwide! “We’re planning to make some improvements to our home this year” – this is how you describe your plans of refurbishing your house. Another example – “I think you’ve made huge improvements to your spoken English fluency ever since we met a couple of months ago!”

This list could go on and on, but I have to stop right here simply because we have plenty more to look at – idioms and phrasal verbs containing the verb TO MAKE.

I mean – the above phrases are just word combinations or the so-called collocations you could in theory come up with yourself but idiomatic expressions such as TO MAKE A POINT is something you couldn’t possible create on your own – you just have to learn them!

Anyway, let me just tell you that the method of sticking TO MAKE in front of any abstract noun isn’t foolproof. Just like I told you previously, it’s a good method of describing the action in question in situations when you don’t know the exact verb, but there’s always a small chance you’ll get it wrong.

So, for example, the following word combination isn’t natural: TO MAKE A QUESTION.

Native English speakers just don’t speak like that; they say – TO ASK A QUESTION.

Why?

Well, guess what – first of all, stop asking “Why?” questions, and secondly – you have to understand that not everything in the English language (or any other language, for that matter!) follows a set of strict rules.

There’s always exceptions to the rule, and in case you’re wondering how you can tell when you’re allowed to stick the verb TO MAKE in front of an abstract noun and when you’re not, the simple answer is – treat each situation individually ❗

Whenever you’re in doubt whether you can use TO MAKE with a particular noun – don’t hold back but use it! If it sounds unnatural or if you have the “gut feeling” that it mightn’t be used the way you’re using it, just use Google to make sure!

But before we move onto idiomatic expressions containing the verb TO MAKE, let’s look at another category of English expressions containing the verb TO MAKE.

Sometimes TO MAKE + NOUN is the ONLY Way to Describe the Action!

You just found out that on many occasions TO MAKE + NOUN describes the same action as the VERB and on most occasions you can choose whichever option you prefer.

It’s not always the case though – sometimes the TO MAKE and NOUN combination is the only way you can describe certain actions!

Make a mistake – this is how you describe the process of making a mistake and this is pretty much the only way you can describe it. Well, there are verbs carrying the same meaning such as “to err” – but hey, you have to agree that people don’t speak like that!

Make an error – same thing. “To err” is the corresponding verb, but if you asked me when I’ve heard any English speaker use this word for the last time, my answer would be – never!

Make an appointment – this is how native English speakers refer to the action of making an appointment, and to the best of my knowledge it’s the only way you can describe it. There are no single-word verbs to use instead!

But now, it’s about time we looked into idiomatic expressions containing the simple English verb TO MAKE!

TO MAKE in Idiomatic Expressions

Make sense – I’m 99.9% sure you already knew this phrase containing the verb TO MAKE, didn’t you? This is a typical English idiomatic expression – and in case you’re wondering why it’s called IDIOMATIC, here’s a very simple explanation – you wouldn’t be able to come up with it yourself, you just have to learn that the concept of something being reasonable and sensible is described the following way “to make sense.”

So basically unlike phrases in the previous sections that you could think of yourself by trial and error, idiomatic expressions would be much, much harder to create from scratch!

And here’s a few longer phrases containing the same word combination:

• It doesn’t make any sense!
• It makes an awful lot of sense!
• It makes perfect sense.
• It makes sense to me now!

Make sense of – at first this phrase may look just like the previous one, but there’s a difference between the two. If something MAKES SENSE, it means that whatever you’re talking about is rational and logical or that you understand it.

If you’re MAKING SENSE OF something, it means you’re trying to FIGURE OUT something. So if you’re saying – “I can’t make sense of her actions…” – it means you can’t understand why she’s acting that way.

Make an exception – this is how the concept of ignoring rules and allowing something to happen is described. You can use this phrase whenever you’re asking someone for a favor: “Please, can you make an exception for me just this once?” Or, you can use this phrase when refusing someone’s request: “Sorry, but I really can’t make any exceptions!”

Make friends with – when you befriend someone, this is the proper English idiomatic expression to use: “She always finds it very easy to make friends with people at social gatherings!”

Make a difference – this idiomatic expression is most commonly used when describing certain activities that have changed other people’s lives. It’s typically used in the charity industry – “Every dollar you donate is going to make a huge difference!”

Make a fool out of yourself – this is a very handy phrase to be used in situations when a person does something embarrassing, for example: “John made a complete fool out of himself at the party last Saturday – he got drunk and started telling all sorts of stupid things to everyone!”

Make an impact – you can use this English expression containing the verb TO MAKE whenever you have to describe the concept of something having far-reaching consequences. Here’s an example: “Reading has made a big impact on my life – I wouldn’t know half the things I know now if not for all the books I’ve read!”

Make a point – this English idiomatic expression can be used when referring to someone having made themselves clear, having clearly explained what it exactly is that they want during an argument: “Mike, please calm down and stop raising your voice. You’ve already made your point that you’re not happy with the amount of hours you have to work every week, and I already told you I’ll deal with it!”

Make it clear – when you’re explaining something, this idiomatic expression can serve the purpose of emphasizing the fact that the matter has to be explained clearly and understandably. “I want to make it clear to everyone – no redundancies will be made this year. There will be, however, a slight reduction of hours.”

Make a transition – it simply means to enter a new stage of something; I’ll let the following example illustrate this phrase: “Many countries in the world are still trying to make a transition to democracy.”

Make ends meet – this is a typical English idiom, and it means to earn just enough money to pay the bills. “In today’s economic climate, many people work really hard just to make ends meet.”

Make no mistake – this is another way of saying “undoubtedly”, “without any doubt” and it’s especially used when warning others of possible consequences – “Make no mistake – I’m not going to tolerate such behavior during working hours!”

Make the best out of – this idiomatic phrase is really handy when describing a bad situation and pointing out that you can still do something to make it better: “Yes, I know it’s pretty bad to find yourself out of work, but you have to make the best out of this situation. Stay active, enroll in some courses, just do something!”

Make the headlines – when something gets media publicity and is mentioned in all newspapers, it’s said that that particular news item makes the headlines: “The latest terrorist attack made the headlines all over the world!”

Make use of something – to utilize something, to find a good way of using the object in question: “Listen, you’ve got a university degree, right? So – make use of it! Why don’t you try and find a job in your specialty?”

Make or break – something that will either turn out to be a success or will result in a total disaster – depending on circumstances. “The fitness camp Mike went to will either make or break him.” This expression is also used in context such as “make or break factor” – “Common, nothing bad is going to happen if we experiment with different color packaging, it’s not a make or break factor in our business!”

Make of it – when used in sentences such as “I don’t know what to make of it!” or “What do you make of it?” this English idiomatic expression means to interpret a situation, to understand the matter at hand. For example, you’re witnessing a confusing situation at work – managers are having an argument witch each other. Now, you don’t really understand how something like that could possibly happen and you’re not sure if there’s going to be any consequences. That’s when you can say – “I don’t know what to make of it!”

Phrasal Verbs with TO MAKE

And now let’s look at some phrasal verbs containing the verb TO MAKE. I’m sure you know what phrasal verbs are, but in case you need a small reminder – they’re verbs that consist of the MAIN verb and a PARTICLE. In this case, the main verb is TO MAKE, and the particle… well, it depends on the particular phrasal verb!

Make up – this phrasal verb typically describes the process of a couple getting back together after an argument: “Eventually I made up with my girlfriend because what’s the point in ignoring each other?”

Make out – here’s an example: “I can’t make out what you’re saying!” In this case the phrasal verb TO MAKE OUT means to “understand”. Another example – “I find it very difficult to make out my doctor’s writing, it’s as if he deliberately tries to make it more difficult for me to understand what he’s written.”

Make up for – this phrasal verb consists of TO MAKE and two particles, and it means “to compensate for something”. Here’s an example clearly illustrating this particular English phrasal verb: “Many people buy expensive gadgets for their kids just to make up for the lack of attention and love.”

And here’s another way of using Make up – “I think you’ve just made up all your stories because you’re an attention seeker!” In this case TO MAKE UP means to invent something that isn’t true – a story just to impress your friends, or an excuse for something you’ve done: “I think you just made up the whole story about being sick. I guess you just don’t want to be my friend anymore…”

Various Phrases Containing the Verb TO MAKE

Make someone happy – I don’t think I should explain this English phrase in the very detail because it’s really self-explanatory, isn’t it? Anyway, I’m still going to provide a couple of sample sentences: “What is it that makes you happy?”; “Just being alive and healthy is enough to make me happy!”

Make it happen – this phrase containing the verb TO MAKE is most commonly used when describing the effort that has to be invested in order to accomplish something: “Listen boys, I know it seems impossible to finish the project by the end of the month, but we just have to make it happen!”

Make it your habit – speaking of habits and routines, this phrase can be very well used when describing the very process of something becoming your habit: “You may have to force yourself to go to the gym for the first time, but it becomes much easier if you make it your habit.”

Make the simple connection between – when you look at two seemingly unrelated facts, you may realize that they’re somehow connected, and that’s when this phrase comes in handy: “Some people fail to make the simple connection between what they eat and how they look. The majority of those who want to get in shape focus on exercise, but actually it’s the eating part that will make the biggest impact on your physical appearance!”

Make matters worse, also – make things worse – to do something that results in the situation becoming worse than previously: “Listen, by putting 6 boxes in a layer you’re only making things worse – the pallet is becoming very unstable!”

Make it on time – this is how native English speakers refer to getting to your destination on time, and it’s used an awful lot in casual conversations. Also, the short version MAKE IT is used – “I’m throwing the party on Friday night instead of Saturday… I hope you can MAKE IT?” By the way – thanks Sergio for reminding me to put this phrase on the list!

Now, I hope you’re going to find this article useful ❗

Obviously, I couldn’t possibly include ALL English collocations including the verb TO MAKE – the article would be 50 pages long if I tried to do that! 😉

But that’s not the point of the whole exercise anyway – I just wanted to provide you with ENOUGH information so that you can start using the verb TO MAKE in your daily English conversations effectively.

Any comments, questions or suggestions – please publish them in the comments section below!

Cheers,

Robby 😉

P.S. Would you like to find out why I’m highlighting some of the text in red? Read this article and you’ll learn why it’s so important to learn idiomatic expressions and how it will help you to improve your spoken English!

P.S.S. Are you serious about your spoken English improvement? Check out my English Harmony System HERE!

P.S. Are you serious about your spoken English improvement? Check out the English Harmony System HERE!

In traditional grammar, the example is analysed as a passive as follows:

1…This car…….is…………made……………. of …………steel»

…subject …….verb…past participle…preposition… noun

Noun Phrase.[………..verb……………]..[adverbial modifier]

A more advanced version would have

2…This car………… is…….. made……… of …………steel»

…subject ………verb…..adjective… preposition… noun

Noun Phrase….verb……adjective….[adverbial modifier]

Noun Phrase….verb…..[……..adjectival modifier………..]

The test for an adjective is often «adding ‘very’ and see if it makes sense. HOWEVER, this does not work with ungradeable adjectives, e.g. *»She was very pregnant.» (wrong) and «made» is an ungradeable adjective.

OED made(adj): Produced or obtained by making as distinguished in some way from other modes of origin or acquisition; resulting from human activity.

1981 A. B. Facey Fortunate Life 44 The road was just a winding track—there were no made roads in those days.

A verb is a word or a combination of words that indicates action or a state of being or condition. A verb is the part of a sentence that tells us what the subject performs. Verbs are the hearts of English sentences.

Examples:

• Jacob walks in the morning. (A usual action)
• Mike is going to school. (A condition of action)
• Albert does not like to walk. (A negative action)
• Anna is a good girl. (A state of being)

Verbs are related to a lot of other factors like the subject, person, number, tense, mood, voice, etc.

Basic Forms of Verbs

There are six basic forms of verbs. These forms are as follows:

• Base form: Children play in the field.
• Infinitive: Tell them not to play
• Past tense: They played football yesterday.
• Past participle: I have eaten a burger.
• Present participle: I saw them playing with him today.
• Gerund: Swimming is the best exercise.

Different Types of Verbs

• Main/Base Verb
• Regular/Weak Verb
• Irregular/Strong Verb
• Transitive Verb
• Intransitive Verb
• Weak Verb
• Strong Verb
• Finite Verbs
• Non-finite Verbs
• Action Verbs
• Linking Verb
• Auxiliary Verbs
• Modal Verbs
• Reflexive Verb
• Ergative Verb
• Phrasal Verb
• Lexical Verb
• Delexical Verb
• Stative/Being Verb
• Dynamic Verb
• Non-continuous Verb
• Participle
• Gerund
• Infinitive

Base Verb

The base verb is the form of a verb where it has no ending (-ing, -ed, -en) added to it. It is also called the Root Verb since it is the very root form of a verb.

Examples:

• I go to school every day.
• You run a mile every morning.
• Do your homework.

Regular Verb

The Verbs that follow the most usual conjugations are considered Regular Verbs. It is regular since it abides by most if not all of the regular grammar rules there are.

Examples:

• Rehan plays cricket.
• Tam called out my name.
• You really walked all the way back? 

Irregular Verb

The Verbs that have irregularities in terms of following grammar rules are Irregular Verbs, in general.

Examples:

• Do the dishes.
• I hardly ever drink enough water in a day.
• She drove all the way back. 

Transitive Verb

The Main Verb that takes a direct object sitting right after it would be a Transitive Verb. They usually construct the most straightforward of sentences.

Examples:

• She went to the fair.
• We do not like being called out loud in crowds.
• I love visiting my village home.

Intransitive Verb

The main Verb that does not take a direct object specified right afterward and rather there is an indirect one mentioned somewhere along the line is called an Intransitive Verb. These verbs often make the corresponding sentences incomplete.

Example:

• I laughed.
• John ran.
• A ghast of cold wind blew.

Weak Verb

Verbs that end with “-d” and “-t” in their Past Indefinite and Past Participle form are Weak Verbs. There is a tendency to associate Weak Verbs with Regular Verbs but not all Weak Verbs are Regular Verbs in the English language.

Examples:

Present Indefinite	Past Indefinite
Spend	Spent
Walk	Walked
Book	Booked
Learn	Learnt
Want	Wanted

 Strong Verb

Strong Verbs are those in which the vowels in the verb stem changes from “i” to “a” to “u” in the Present Indefinite to Past Indefinite to Past Participle form of Verbs.

Examples:

Present Indefinite	Past Indefinite	Past Participle
Ring	Rang	Rung
Drink	Drank	Drunk
Cling	Clang	Clung
Swim	Swam	Swum
Sing	Sang	Sung
Wring	Wrang	Wrung

Finite Verbs

Finite verbs are the actual verbs that are called the roots of sentences. It is a form of a verb that is performed by or refers to a subject and uses one of the twelve forms of tense and changes according to the number/person of the subject.

Example:

• Alex went to school. (Subject – Alex – performed the action in the past. This information is evident only by the verb ‘went’.)
• Robert plays hockey.
• He is playing for Australia.
• He is one of the best players. (Here, the verb ‘is’ directly refers to the subject itself.)

Non-finite Verbs

Non-finite Verbs are not actual verbs. They do not work as verbs in the sentence rather they work as nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc. Non-finite verbs do not change according to the number/person of the subject because these verbs, also called verbals, do not have any direct relation to the subject. Sometimes they become the subject themselves.

The forms of non-finite verbs are – infinitive, gerund, and participle (participles become finite verbs when they take auxiliary verbs.)

Example:

• Alex went abroad to play (Infinitives)
• Playing cricket is his only job. (Present participle)
• I have a broken bat. (Past participle)
• Walking is a good habit. (Gerund)

Action Verbs

Action verbs indicate what the subject of a sentence performs. Action verbs can make the listener/reader feel emotions, see scenes more vividly and accurately.

Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive.

Transitive verbs must have a direct object. A transitive verb demands something/someone to be acted upon.

Example:

• I painted the car. (The verb ‘paint’ demands an object to be painted)
• She is reading the newspaper. (The verb ‘read’ asks the question “what is she reading?” – the answer is the object)

Intransitive verbs do not act upon anything. They may be followed by an adjective, adverb, preposition, or another part of speech.

Example:

• She smiled. (The verb ‘smile’ cannot have any object since the action of ‘smiling’ does not fall upon anything/anyone)
• I wake up at 6 AM. (No object is needed for this verb)

Note: {Subject + Intransitive verb} is sufficient to make a complete sentence but {Subject + Transitive verb} is not sufficient because transitive verbs demand a direct object.

Linking Verb

A linking verb adds details about the subject of a sentence. In its simplest form, it connects the subject and the complement — that is, the words that follow the linking verb. It creates a link between them instead of showing action.

Often, what is on each side of a linking verb is equivalent; the complement redefines or restates the subject.

Generally, linking verbs are called ‘be’ verbs which are — am, is, are, was, were. However, there are some other verbs that can work as linking verbs. Those verbs are:

Act, feel, remain, appear, become, seem, smell, sound, grow, look, prove, stay, taste, turn.

Some verbs in this list can also be action verbs. To figure out if they are linking verbs, you should try replacing them with forms of the be verbs. If the changed sentence makes sense, that verb is a linking verb.

Example:

• She appears ready for the game. (She is ready for the game.)
• The food seemed delicious. (The food was delicious.)
• You look happy. (You are happy.)

Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs. An auxiliary verb extends the main verb by helping to show time, tense, and possibility. The auxiliary verbs are – be verbs, have, and do.

They are used in the continuous (progressive) and perfect tenses.

Linking verbs work as main verbs in the sentence, but auxiliary verbs help main verbs.

Do is an auxiliary verb that is used to ask questions, to express negation, to provide emphasis, and more.

Example:

• Alex is going to school.
• They are walking in the park.
• I have seen a movie.
• Do you drink tea?
• Don’t waste your time.
• Please, do submit your assignments.

Modal Verbs

A modal verb is a kind of auxiliary verb. It assists the main verb to indicate possibility, potentiality, ability, permission, expectation, and obligation.

The modal verbs are can, could, must, may, might, ought to, shall, should, will, would.

 Example:

• I may want to talk to you again.
• They must play their best game to win.
• She should call him.
• I will go there.

Reflexive Verb

When the Subject and the Object are the same and the Verb reflects on the Subject, that is the Reflexive Verb. These Verbs are often used with Reflexive Pronouns like — myself, himself, herself, itself etc.

Examples: 

• He has done it himself.
• I’ll watch it myself. 

Ergative Verb

Ergative Verbs can be used as Transitive and Intransitive Verb. They are also called Labile Verb in English.

Examples:

Intransitive Verbs	Transitive Verbs
The door opens.	I opened the door.
The bell rang.	She rang the bell.
The light is fused.	They fused the lights.
The whistle blew.	Tom blew the whistle.

 Phrasal Verb

An idiomatic phrase consisting of a Verb and another element, most likely an Adverb or a Preposition is called a Phrasal Verb.

Examples:

• She broke down in tears.
• Don’t look down upon the poor.
• I’ll see to it. 

Lexical Verb

Lexical Verb is the main or principal verb of a sentence which typically takes the major responsibility of a Verb that represents the action of the Noun or Pronoun.

Examples:

• He ran to his father.
• I laughed out loud.
• Rina tried her best. 

DE-Lexical Verb

Delexical Verbs lack importance when it comes to meaning since these Verbs hardly have meanings of their own when used individually. The meaning is taken out of the Verbs and put into the Noun. Take, have, make, give etc. are Delexical Verbs.

Examples:

• He took a shower.
• I had a cold drink.
• She made some arrangements. 

Stative Verb

The Verbs that describe the state of being are called Stative or Being Verbs.

Examples:

• I need some boxes.
• You belong to the pomp and power.
• He smells danger.
• They remember what happened that day. 

Dynamic Verb

The Verbs that entail continuous or progressive action of the Subject are called Dynamic or Fientive Verbs. They express the Subject’s state of being on the move.

Examples:

• He’s running fast.
• Keep hitting the ball hard.
• The dog goes for a walk every afternoon.

Non-continuous Verb

The Verbs that are usually never used in their continuous forms are called Non-continuous Verbs.

Examples:

I like to swim.	I’m liking to swim.
I love to do the chords.	I’m loving to do the chords.
He does not hate you.	He’s hating you.
She just feels a bit dizzy, no need to worry.	She’s just feeling a bit dizzy.

 Intensive Verb

The Verbs that focus intensely on just the Subject are called Intensive Verbs. Intensive Verbs are also called Linking or Copular Verbs.

Examples:

• You seem happy.
• It appears to be just perfect.
• She looks stunning.
• He’s become rather irritable. 

Extensive Verb

All the Verbs that do not focus intensively on just the Subject (as the Intensive Verbs) of the sentence are Extensive Verbs.

Examples:

• He loves her.
• She runs too fast.
• Ron sells fish. 

Participle

A participle is a Verb form where they retain some of the characteristics and functions of both Verbs and adopt those of the Adjectives.

Examples:

Present Participle (Verb + -ing)

• Have I become a laughing stock?
• Cycling is a well-rounded exercise.

Past Participle

• I have taken a hint.
• Have you given it enough thought?

Perfect Participle (Having + Past Participle)

• Having said that, I was quite worried.
• Having stepped out of my comfort zone, I saw a whole new world.

Gerund

The Verbs having -ing endings that function like Nouns in sentences are called Gerunds.

Examples:

• Smoking is injurious to health.
• Walking is good for health.
• I love swimming.

Infinitive

The ‘to + Verb’ forms where the Verbs are at their base or stem forms while they function as Nouns, Adjectives or Adverbs instead of Verbs.

Examples:

• I wanted to help you out.
• Are you trying to go there?
• I just love to flaunt my new Ferarri.

What is the difference between make and do?

Make or do? – that is the question! These two short words are famous for confusing learners of English. Most errors appear where there are differences in how and when ‘make’ and ‘do’ are used in English vs. your native language. Let’s look at some basic theory to understand the general meaning of ‘make’ vs. ‘do’ in English.

How to use MAKE

I make – He/She makes – We/They make
I will make – I am making – I made – I have made

The verb make is used when talking about creation or production in a process. In other words, it is used to refer to the result of an action. For example: ‘Make a cup of tea’, ‘Make plans for the future’ or ‘Make a model boat out of wood’.

Made can be used to indicate the material of a product. For example, we can say that a spoon is ‘made of steel’. In this case, we would say made, as in the past tense of make. The creation has already taken place and now the spoon is made of steel.

How to use DO

I do – She/He does – They/We do
I will do – I am doing – I did – I have done

The verb ‘do’ is used when we talk about tasks, duties, obligations and routine work. It refers to the process of carrying out these actions. This verb is similar to the formal words perform or execute (as in: execute a command). For example: ‘I did my homework yesterday evening.’ (completed task).

Another use of the verb do is to replace a different verb in the context of a clear or straightforward result. For example: ‘Do the dishes’ (vs. wash the dishes). ‘Do my hair’ means cut, dye, style or perform another similar action on my hair. The word ‘do’ can also be used for recreational and individual sports, such as martial arts. For example: ‘Do karate twice a week’ (take part in this sporting activity, perhaps by attending a class).

Native speakers often use ‘do’ in the way described above. If you want your English to sound more natural, then you should learn how to use ‘do’ as a substitute for other verbs. Read on to find more examples of this!

Remember that ‘do’ can be used as an auxiliary verb in questions and for added emphasis. In these contexts, it is not used to mean ‘performing an action’.

Do in questions: In ‘Do you like music?’ the word ‘do’ is just used to indicate a question. ‘You like music.’ would be a fact. Learners often make the mistake of leaving out the ‘do’ in English questions because in their own language rising intonation is enough. Only in informal English is this possible where the context is 100% clear. For example, just: ‘Coffee?’ (when you are about to pour a cup and you are asking for your friend’s permission).

Do for emphasis: In ‘Lucy thinks I don’t love her, but I do. I really do!’ the use of ‘do’ shows the contradiction between what Lucy thinks and what the speaker feels.
In summary, ‘do’ usually refers to the process and ‘make’ refers to the result or creative aspect of the process. For example, you would do some cooking (process), but you would make dinner (result).
 

140+ Collocations with make or do

Collocations with MAKE

COMMUNICATION

• Make a demand (= Ask for something in an authoritative manner)
  ‘Several bank staff are being held hostage and the robbers are now making demands.’
• Make an objection (= Complain or dispute something)
  ‘If anyone would like to make an objection, please raise your hand now.’
• Make a complaint (= State unhappiness)
  ‘The angry customer made a complaint to the company’s head office.’
• Make a phone call (= Call someone on the phone)
  ‘I need to make a quick phone call. Can I use your landline?’
• Make enquiries (= Ask about a subject, request information)
  ‘I’m thinking about joining a local company, but I still need to make some enquiries.’
• Make an offer (= Suggest, put forward a proposal)
  I was going to put my house on the market, but then a friend made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.’
• Make an agreement (= Reach consensus, create legislation)
  ‘Politicians at the summit are eager to make an agreement on climate change.’
• Make a comment (= Briefly give your opinion)
  ‘I would like to make a comment on the issue of social housing.’
• Make a remark (= Comment in a spontaneous manner)
  ‘The journalist made a sarcastic remark about the politician’s personal fortune.’

In many cases, the use of ‘make’ in “communicative collocations” creates a higher level of formality. In everyday conversation, it is more common to use the noun as a verb in place of the formal collocation. For example, instead of ‘make an agreement’ or ‘make a comment’, you can just say ‘(to) agree on’ or ‘(to) comment on’.

• Make a speech (= Speak publicly on a topic)
  ‘At British weddings, it is customary for the father of the bride to make a speech.’
• Make a fuss (= Complain, worry unnecessarily, give affectionate attention)
  ‘I wish my husband wouldn’t make such a fuss every time I go out with my friends!’
  ‘My grandma always made a fuss of us as children.’ (Positive – loved and spoiled them)
• Make an excuse (= Justify an action)
  ‘The boss made an excuse and left the meeting early.’
• Make a point (= State an argument, advocate an idea)
  ‘John made some good points in his presentation, but I didn’t agree with everything he said.’
• Make an observation (= Give your view on a topic, state what you have noticed)
  ‘Following our exam results, the teacher made several observations about our lack of progress!’

• Make a suggestion (= Put forward an idea, share an opinion to help others)
  ‘Could I make a suggestion? Perhaps red curtains would go better with this wallpaper.’
• Make conversation (= Talk to others, sometimes about trivial matters)
  ‘When I asked about his new job, I was just making conversation.’(No real interest)
• Make contact (= Find and establish communication)
  ‘After a 5-year absence, Mary’s brother finally made contact with her via Facebook.’
• Make a noise/sound (= Produce a sound)
  ‘I thought the dishwasher was broken because it was making a strange noise.’
• Make an exception (= Agree to break the rules in one instance)
  ‘We don’t normally allow dogs in here, but I suppose we can make an exception this time.’
• Make it clear (= Ensure something is understood by all)
  ‘I’d like to make it clear that all new staff are expected to attend our weekly meetings.’

FOOD & DRINK

• Make a cake (= Bake a cake)
  ‘My mum makes me a cake for my birthday every year.’
• Make spaghetti (= Cook spaghetti, could also mean to make it from raw ingredients)
  ‘The Italians make the world’s most fantastic fresh spaghetti!’ (Make from scratch)
  ‘I’m making spaghetti for dinner. Would you like some?’ (Cooking)
• Make a cup of tea (= Brew tea, make a cuppa)
  ‘Work has been an absolute nightmare today! Make me a nice cuppa, would you?’
• Make a snack (= Prepare a snack)
  ‘Dave was supposed to be on a diet, but I found him in the kitchen making a snack!’
• Make a meal (= Cook a meal, make breakfast/lunch/dinner)
  ‘Would you mind making some meals for my granddad while I’m away on holiday?’
  ‘I’ll make dinner tonight if you make breakfast tomorrow morning, ok?’

In British English, we say ‘make a meal of (something)’ to mean: do it very badly. For example, ‘I asked John to fix the back door, but he made a complete meal of it!’ – the result might be that now the door is broken or needs to be fixed by a professional.

MONEY & WORK

• Make money (= Earn money)
  ‘I heard that if you start your own business, you can make some serious money!’
  ‘There are many ways to make money. Robbing a bank is just one of them!’
• Make a bid (= Compete to buy at auction/tender, attempt to get)
  ‘Our company made a bid on a large commercial property at an auction last week.’
  ‘Our charity is in the process of making a bid for additional government grants.’
• Make a trade (= Perform stock market operation, exchange)
  ‘With current stock market volatility, it’s hard to know exactly when to make a trade.’
• Make a loss (= Loose money in a business context)
  ‘If a company makes a loss, it can be in danger of running up debts or going bankrupt.’
• Make a profit (= Gain money in a business context)
  ‘If our firm makes a profit this year, I will get a 10% bonus!’
• Make a fortune (= Become rich by earning money)
  ‘I friend of mine has recently made a fortune in the property business.’
• Make an investment (= Put in capital in order to gain profit later)
  ‘Our company has made several key investments in the Middle East this year.’
• Make a living (= Earn enough money to cover expenses)
  ‘How do British expats make a living in Spain if they don’t speak the language?’
• Make a name for yourself (= Form a reputation)
  ‘Jessica has really made a name for herself. You should see her sales figures this quarter!’
• Make a law (= Set a rule, introduce new legislation)
  ‘The government has made a law to stop people smoking in the workplace.’
• Make room/way (= Accommodate, compromise to make something fit)
  ‘I’m super busy this week! Any chance you could make room for me on the 16th?’
  ‘Several older members of staff have been fired to make way for the new recruits.’
• Make a payment (= Pay for something)
  ‘I need to make a payment using a business debit card, but your website isn’t working!’

HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS

• Make (someone) smile/laugh (= Cause to smile or laugh)
  ‘John’s a funny guy! When we’re down the pub, he always makes me laugh.’
• Make (someone) happy/sad/angry (= Cause to feel)
  ‘The council’s decision to close the library has made local residents really angry.’
• Make amends (= Make reparations, rectify a wrongdoing)
  ‘Do you think convicted murderers can ever make amends for their crimes?’

When learning collocations and phrasal verbs, write down all the possible prepositions and particles they can take. For example, if you know that the correct form is ‘to make amends FOR something’, then you will not make mistakes like ‘amends to’ or ‘amends on’. Errors often appear where the English usage is different from that in your native language.

• Make love (= Have sexual intercourse with someone you care about)
  ‘Police in Thailand have arrested two British tourists for making love on the beach!’

NOTE: It is a common mistake to say ‘make sex’. The correct form is ‘have sex’ or ‘make love’.

• Make a move (= Make a pass at someone, also ‘leave’ in slang)
  ‘Martin really likes Sally, but he’s too shy to make a move (on her).’
  ‘It’s already 1am! Shall we make a move?’(Leave, go)
• Make a good impression (= Show your best side)
  ‘When you go on a first date, it’s important to make a good impression (on the person).’
• Make a promise (= Swear to do something, give your word)
  ‘When I was a kid, I made a promise to my mum. Now I still clean my room once a week!’
• Make friends (= Become friends with someone)
  ‘Maggie’s really outgoing so she makes friends easily at home and abroad.’
• Make a commitment (= Accept responsibility, form a binding relationship)
  ‘I really love my boyfriend, but we’ve got no future if he can’t make a commitment.’

NOTE: In the context of relationships, a ‘commitment’ could be any of the following: agreeing to only date one person, moving in with your partner, making long-term plans together, considering marriage.

• Make a fool of yourself (= Embarrass yourself by saying or doing the wrong thing)
  ‘The goalkeeper made a fool of himself by throwing the ball into his own net!’

• Make war/peace (= Start/stop conflict)
  ‘Some countries make war, while others make peace.’ 
• Make an example of (= Punish one person to discourage others from doing the same)
  ‘Jon was late for school again so the teacher decided to make an example of him.’
• Make fun of (= Joke about someone or something)
  ‘Can you please stop teasing your sister? She doesn’t like it when you make fun of her! ’ 

• Make trouble (= Create a problem for others, antagonise)
  ‘On match days, football fans are often blamed for making trouble in the city.’

PLANNING & CHOICES

• Make the best/most of (= Take advantage, seize the opportunity, tolerate)
  ‘Ronaldo made the most of the defender’s mistake and rounded the goalkeeper to score.’
  ‘Tomorrow’s weather isn’t great for our walk, but we’ll just have to make the most of it.’

A funny example of a confusing expression in English is ‘to make do’? This expression uses ‘make’ and ‘do’! It means: to cope or manage with few resources or to get by with what you have.

• Make a decision (= Decide, choose, come to a conclusion)
  ‘Are you coming with us to Spain? You really need to make a decision by next weekend.’

• Make (something) happen (= Cause to happen)
  ‘The authorities still don’t know what made this terrible tragedy happen.’
  ‘We’ve only got 24 hours to complete this project. Let’s make it happen, people!’

• Make up your mind (= Decide on something, choose)
  ‘Michelle is still dating two different guys because she can’t make up her mind!’ 

• Make an exception (= Allow a rule to be broken due to special circumstances)
  ‘We don’t usually allow babies in the pool, but I’ll ask if we can make an exception.’ 

• Make an attempt (= Try to do something)
  ‘Mike made an attempt to look interested, but physics wasn’t really his subject.’

• Make a judgement (= Analyse a situation, give an opinion)
  ‘It is difficult to make objective judgements about foreign policy issues.’ 

• Make an effort (= Work hard to achieve a goal, attempt)
  ‘You need to make an effort if you want to pass your exams this summer!’

• Make progress (= Advance, develop)
  ‘I really feel like I’m making progress with my book. It should be ready to publish soon!’
• Make a plan (= Agree on a course of action)
  ‘If you want to be successful in business, then first you need to make a plan.’

• Make time (= Set aside time for something/someone)
  ‘I’d love to go to the gym, but I just can’t make time at the moment!’
  ‘Work’s been taking over recently! I really need to make more time for my kids.’ 

• Make a difference (= Have an effect on)
  ‘Curtis is so stubborn! You can try to persuade him, but it won’t make any difference.’
  ‘I want to find a job where I can make a difference to people’s lives.’
• Make a change (= Start something new, change your life or behaviour)
  ‘I’ve been living in London for 2 years, but now I feel it’s time to make a change.’
• Make sure/certain (= Ensure something is as it should be)
  ‘Make sure you take your passport to the airport. Don’t forget it like you did last time!’

DAILY ROUTINE

• Make the bed (= Make fit for use/sleep, tidy up)
  ‘I’ll make the bed if you go downstairs and make breakfast.’

• Make a mess (= Create an untidy, dirty or disorganised situation)
  ‘If you give kids brushes and paint, they are bound to make a mess!’
  ‘My boss has made a total mess of this paperwork! I’ll have to do it all again tomorrow.’

PHYSICAL OBJECTS & PRODUCTION

• Make a dress (= Create or sew a dress)‘
  My friend Gill made her own wedding dress and it looked fantastic!’ 
• Make furniture (= Create furniture through carpentry or woodwork)‘
  My grandfather used to make furniture for a living. These days it’s all made in factories.’
• Make a copy (= Duplicate, create a copy of something)
  ‘I love this album! Can you make me a copy?’ 
• Make a new product (= Invent, think up)
  ‘Apple is always making new products. That’s what makes it such a great tech company.’
• Make steel wire (= Manufacture)
  ‘This factory used to make steel wire, but it closed due to competition from overseas.’
• Make a fire (= Build and light a fire)
  ‘When trying to survive in the wilderness, the first thing to do is make a fire.’

MIND & IMAGINATION

• Make a wish (= Will something to happen, hope something will come true)
  ‘When you blow out the candles on your birthday cake, don’t forget to make a wish!’’

• Make believe (= Imaginary, fantasy, ideal but not real)
  ‘The government has promised to invest in public services, but that’s just make believe!’
  ‘Alice in Wonderland is a children’s book that is set in a make-believe world.’ (Adjective)

• Make sense (= Be sensible, reasonable, understood)
  ‘I don’t think it makes sense to earn a lot of money if you then have no time to enjoy it.’
  ‘Did you have a bit to drink last night? You weren’t making any sense on the phone!’ 

• Make a discovery (= Find something new, invent, realise)
  ‘Scientists from NASA have made a new discovery on Mars!’

Watch out for collocations that allow the use of ‘make’ AND ‘do’. These are rare, but you should learn them. For example, ‘Do a presentation’ (conduct/perform) vs. ‘Make a presentation’ (same meaning, or emphasises its creation) or ‘make the bed’ (Standard English) vs. ‘do the bed’ (colloquial).

APPOINTMENTS & TRAVEL

• Make a visit (Go to, travel to)
  ‘The Queen will make a state visit to France while she is in Europe.’ 

• Make a booking/reservation (= Reserve a place)
  ‘I’d like to make a reservation. Do you have any availability on Sunday the 25^th at 7pm?’

• Make an appointment (= Schedule an individual consultation or meeting)
  ‘All patients wishing to make an appointment should phone to book in advance.’ 

• Make arrangements (= Organise or plan something)
  ‘I’ve made arrangements for the kids to stay with my parents over the weekend.’

• Make a cancellation (= Annul a previous booking or appointment)
  ‘Hello, I’m phoning to make a cancellation. My order number is…’

• Make a list (= Have an agenda of tasks)
  ‘My wife has made a list of all the things I’ve done wrong. As you can imagine, it’s quite long!’

• Make a journey (= Travel somewhere)
  ‘To raise money for charity, Jan is planning to make a journey from the UK to Mongolia!’

• Make it (= Get to a place, attend)
  ‘I’m really busy next weekend, but I’ll do my best to make it to the party!’
  ‘I’m afraid I’m not going to make it back in time for dinner.’(Get home)

NOTE: We can also use ‘make’ to mean: get into or deserve a place in. For example, ‘John made the first team’ (won a place in the team through his performance) or ‘The car accident made the headlines’ (was included in the news). John did not create or form the team, nor did the car accident write the headlines.

Collocations with DO

DAILY ROUTINE

• Do the dishes/washing/ironing (= Wash the dishes, wash and iron clothes)
  ‘I really hate doing the dishes, but I don’t mind mowing the lawn.’

• Do housework (= Perform routine cleaning/tidying around the house)
  ‘Women still do the majority of housework in the UK, and that’s not fair!’

• Do the shopping (= Buy food and household goods)
  ‘We do the shopping once a week at a large supermarket.’

• Do it yourself (= DIY, perform amateur repairs or renovation work yourself)
  ‘I only learned to do DIY when I bought my first house. It needed a lot of work!’

• Do your nails (= Have a manicure)
  ‘Do you do your own nails or do you go to a beauty salon?’

• Do your makeup (= Put on cosmetics)
  ‘How long does it take for you to do your makeup in the morning?’

• Do 60 miles per hour (= Drive or travel at 60 mph)
  ‘When I commute to London, I want to be doing 70 (mph), but I’m usually stuck in traffic!’

STUDY & THOUGHT

• Do maths/biology/English (= Study a subject)
  ‘What’s your son doing at school now? Mine is doing A-Level Maths and Biology?’

• Do homework (= Complete tasks given by your teacher)
  ‘When I was at school, all the kids used to do their homework on the bus in the morning!’

• Do an exercise (= Complete a study or training task)
  ‘The Biology teacher asked us to do an exercise from the textbook.’

• Do a crossword (= Complete a crossword puzzle)
  ‘I like doing crosswords on the train.’

• Do a quiz (= Play a game in which you have to answer questions on a topic)
  ‘My parents do a quiz at the local pub every Wednesday night.’

• Do a translation (= Convert from one language to another)
  ‘On the final exam, you have to do a translation from French into English.’

• Do research (= Investigate a topic, study in depth)
  ‘British cancer specialists are currently doing research into cell regeneration.’

• Do some studying (= Learn something, revise)
  ‘I really need to do some studying because I’m behind on my uni work!’
• Do an essay (= Complete an assignment)
  ‘Will I have to do any essays as part of the English course?’
• Do a test/exam (= Evaluate, check knowledge)
  ‘I disagree with scientists doing tests on lab rats. It’s so cruel!’
  ‘Are you doing your exams this week or next?’
• Do a task (= Solve a problem, perform a job)
  ‘The teacher asked us to do a task on reading comprehension.’
• Do a course (= Attend a class or study programme)
  ‘If I have time, I’d like to do a Spanish course abroad next summer.’

The word ‘do’ can be used informally as a noun in British English when referring to a social event or party. For example, ‘Are you going to Mike’s birthday do next Saturday?’ or ‘There’s a do on at the local (pub) this weekend, if you fancy it.’

CRIMINAL

• Do a robbery (= Commit an armed theft)
  ‘The police were unaware that the gang was planning to do a robbery in the area.’

• Do time (= Spend time in prison)
  ‘I guy I used to go to school with is now doing time for murder.’

• Do drugs (= Take illegal narcotics)
  ‘At British schools they teach teenagers about the dangers of doing drugs.’

• Do a raid (= Police attack to arrest criminals)
  ‘The police did a raid on a local warehouse early this morning.’

SPORTS & HOBBIES

• Do sport (= Engage in sports, USA = ‘play sports’)
  ‘How often do kids do sport at your school?’ (Informal)

• Do exercise (= Train physically)
  ‘Doctors recommend you do some active physical exercise every day.

• Do Karate/Judo (= Train in martial arts)
  ‘I used to do karate when I was a uni, but I don’t have time these days.’

• Do gymnastics/ballet/yoga (= Perform or practise gymnastics/ballet/yoga)
  ‘My mum’s really active! She does yoga on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.’

• Do Athletics (= Train in athletics)
  ‘I hated doing athletics at school. Now I won’t even watch the Olympics!’

• Do a drawing (= Sketch or draw something)
  ‘My daughter did a beautiful drawing for me so I put it up on the wall at work.’

• Do a dance (= Show your dance moves, perform a dance)
  ‘When I win a new contract a work, I always do a little victory dance for my colleagues!’

• Do a number (= Perform a live act)
  ‘Harry did a great number at the charity talent show. I never knew he could juggle!’

NOTE: Football, rugby, cricket, basketball, tennis, etc. usually to take ‘play’ and not ‘do’.

WORK & BUSINESS

• What do you do? (= What is your job?)
  ‘I work for a large law firm. What do you do (for a living)?’
• Do business (= Trade, buy or sell)
  ‘Doing business internationally can be a real challenge.’
  ‘Our company mostly does business with local suppliers.’

In Spanish, both ‘make’ and ‘do’ can be translated as the single word ‘HACER’. Does your native language have a distinction between ‘make’ and ‘do’? Perhaps these concepts are expressed in a different way than in English.

• Do work (= Carry out a job or task)
  ‘Can you please stop distracting me? I really need to do some work this afternoon!’

• Do a deal (= Agree a contract or arrangement)
  ‘I heard you’re doing a deal with Sony. That’s great news for the company!’

• Do a project (= Execute a planned set of tasks)
  ‘Our firm is doing a joint project with a company from Holland.’

• Do your job (= Perform your work-related tasks)
  ‘If you do your job well, you can expect a nice bonus at the end of the year.’

• Do an operation (= Perform a surgical procedure)
  ‘Doctor Pearce was in theatre doing an operation so I called another member of staff.’

• Do an experiment (= Carry out an experiment)
  ‘We’re doing an experiment at work to examine the effects of stress on productivity.’

• Do paperwork (= Carry out bureaucratic admin tasks)
  ‘I’m responsible for doing most of the paperwork in our family business.’

• Do the accounts/books (= Perform accounting work)
  ‘I’m no good with numbers so I get an accountant to do my books once a year.’

• Do a talk (= Give a public presentation or speech)
  ‘Our local school has invited me in to do a talk about career opportunities in London.’

• Do a presentation (= Conduct a formal talk on a subject)
  ‘I’m super nervous because I have to do a presentation at our next conference.’

• Do overtime (= Stay late to work more)
  ‘Julie is off sick so I have to do overtime all this week to cover for her.’

ACTIONS: GOOD, BAD & GENERAL

• Do your best (= Try your hardest)
  ‘I know you didn’t have enough time to revise for the exam, but just do your best!’
• Do good (= Perform an act of kindness, be of benefit to your health)
  ‘Charities in Africa think they’re doing good, but perhaps that’s not always the case.’
  ‘You should get out in the fresh air more. It would do you good!’

The noun ‘do-gooder’ is a negative term for a person who tries to help others, but is seen to be an interfering nuisance. We can also use the funny expression ‘goodie-two-shoes’ about a person who tries to be good and follow the rules all the time!

• Do the right thing (= Act in a morally correct way)
  ‘Divorces are never easy, but I’m sure you’ll both do the right thing by your kids.’

• Do your duty (= Fulfil your responsibility)
  ‘Soldiers need to do their duty to their country in times of war.’

• Do a favour (= Help another person)
  ‘Can you do me a big favour and pick the kids up from school tomorrow?’

• Do something right/wrong (= Carry out an action correctly/incorrectly)
  ‘You must have done something wrong because now the computer isn’t working at all.’
  ‘Beautiful wife, smart kids, great job…you must be doing something right!’ (In life)

• Do well/badly (= Perform well/badly)
  ‘Mary did well in her exams, but her brother did badly (in his exams).’ 

• Do harm (= Hurt, injure)
  ‘It wouldn’t do you any harm to help me with the housework once in a while!’ 

• Do damage (= Harm someone or something)
  ‘The accident did some serious damage to the side of my car!’

• Do a lot (= Perform frequently, make a valuable contribution)
  ‘George does a lot for the local community through his volunteer work.’
  ‘Do you do a lot of cycling during the week?’

• Do the (bare) minimum (= Put minimum effort into something)
  ‘When it comes to tidying the office, my colleagues always do the bare minimum!’

• Do it to the max (= Put maximum effort into something, enjoy to the full)
  ‘If you only go clubbing once a year, then you might as well do it to the max!’

• Do anything (= Perform any action, sacrifice it all)
  ‘Honestly, I haven’t done anything! It was all Lucy’s fault.’
  ‘I would do literally anything to meet Brad Pitt!’

• Do everything (= Complete all tasks, try your hardest)
  ‘I promise to do everything I can to help.’

• Do nothing (= Be idle, ignore)
  ‘My favourite hobby is doing nothing.’

Phrasal verbs with make and do

Phrasal verbs with MAKE

MAKE UP

a) Imagine, think up, invent, lie

‘If you don’t know the answer, then just make one up!’
‘I really believed my son’s story about the broken window, but he had just made it up.’

b) Make peace after an argument, reconcile

‘I had an argument with my wife, but we’ve made up now.’
‘Has Mike made up with Chloe? I know they had a fight last week.’

c) Decide, choose (make up one’s mind)

‘There’s so much choice that I can’t make up my mind which ice cream to get!’
‘Will you please make up your mind? We haven’t got all day!’

d) Constitute, consist of (scientific/formal)

‘A car engine is made up of many different components.’
‘This social committee is made up of 12 community representatives.’

In everyday conversation, it is more common to say ‘made of’. For example, ‘What’s your guitar made of – wood or fibre glass?’. We can also move the material type into the adjective position, as in: ‘wooden guitar’ or ‘glass vase’. Only use ‘made up of’ in scientific or formal contexts.

e) Compensate for, add missing money/time

‘If you pay your share of the bill, then I will make up the difference.’
‘I was off work with a cold last week so now I’m making up the time by staying late.’
‘Sorry I didn’t get to your birthday! I promise I’ll make it up to you next time I’m in town.’
‘If I make a mistake a work, then I always try to make up for it after.’

f) Put on cosmetics

‘June liked to make herself up before going to the theatre.’
‘My girlfriend won’t leave the house without putting her makeup on!’ (Noun)

g) Prepare a room or bed for a guest

‘Robert’s coming to stay tomorrow so we need to make up the spare room.’
‘Have you made (up) the guest bed for Robert yet?’

MAKE OUT

a) Understand, comprehend (with difficulty)

‘She couldn’t make out what he was saying (due to the noise).’
‘Steve is such a weird guy! I just can’t make him out.’
‘Why are English trains always late? I just can’t make it out!
‘I could just about make out her writing, even though the letter was old and faded.’

b) Complete and sign over to

‘Richard made the cheque out to his son.’
‘The old man made out a will to his next of kin.’

c) Pretend, give a false impression

‘Some famous rappers make out they are real gangsters.’
‘The art thief made out that the fake copy was an original.’

d) Engage in sexual activity or intercourse (USA, informal)

‘The young couple were making out in the car when the police arrived.’

MAKE OF

Think, understand, conclude

‘I’m not sure what to make of this!’ (I don’t know what to conclude, don’t understand it)
‘What do you make of this student’s poor attendance?’ (What is your opinion?)

MAKE OFF

Leave quietly, escape with a stolen item

‘We caught a brief glimpse of the tiger before it made off into the dark jungle.’
‘The burglar made off with a flat screen TV and some cash.’

MAKE INTO

Change into, turn into, transform

‘We plan to make our attic into an art studio.’
‘Worrying about your problems all the time will make you into a nervous wreck!’

MAKE OVER

a) Transfer ownership

‘I will make this house over to you before I die.’

b) Remodel, improve the appearance of something or someone

‘On the TV dating show, the 3 contestants were given a free makeover.’ (Noun)
‘Our house is in a bad condition, but we plan to make it over.’ (USA)

MAKE FOR

Go towards, try to escape

‘If you make for the valley, then you’ll be back at the campsite by nightfall.’
‘The frightened kitten made for the door, but it was closed.’

Phrasal verbs with DO

DO UP

a) Improve condition of, renovate

‘We’ve bought a new house, but need to do it up before we can move in.
‘They really should do up the local school! It has been neglected for years.’

If you are buying a house in the UK, you can save a lot of money by choosing a “doer-upper”. This is a slang term for a house that you need to ‘do up’ or renovate. Properties like this are usually much cheaper, but require some hard work and investment.

b) Fasten, close

‘It’s getting cold. Do up your coat!’
‘We’re not driving anywhere until you do your seatbelt up!’

DO OUT

Fix up, renovate, decorate

‘They’ve had their kitchen done out in green tiles and marble worktops.’

DO OUT OF

Take away unfairly, prevent someone receiving what is rightfully theirs

‘Maggie’s relatives have secretly done her out of a large inheritance.’

DO WITH

Relate to, be connected with

‘I think tectonic plates have something to do with earthquakes, don’t they?’
‘Can you please mind your own business? This has nothing to do with you!’

DO WITHOUT

Continue or live without something or someone

‘I’ve had my dog Sammy for 10 years. Now I just can’t do without him!’
‘If you don’t want to eat what I’ve cooked, then you can just do without!’ (Not eat anything)

DO OVER

a) Repeat, do again

‘This assignment is no good at all! You’ll have to do it over.’ (USA)

b) Beat up

‘The thief claims that the police did him over in his cell.’

DO DOWN

Belittle, criticise, put down

‘I don’t think my boss likes me. He’s always trying to do me down!’
Note: ‘Put down’ is more common in British English.

DO AWAY WITH

Get rid of, abolish, remove

‘They are doing away with diesel cars. In the future, no one will manufacture them.’
‘The UK government has voted to do away with fox hunting.’
 

Practice tips and links to exercises

In this guide, you have seen over 160 combinations (collocations and phrasal verbs) with the words ‘make’ and ‘do’. However, learning them all is easier said than done! Try the following tips and exercises to help you remember the most commonly used expressions.

Tips to help you learn make vs. do collocations

1. KNOW THE BASICS: If something physical or abstract is being created, then ‘make’ is the likely choice. If the context focuses on the performance of a repetitive process, then ‘do’ may be preferable.
2. HIT THE BOOKS: Textbooks like the Phrasal Verbs in Use series (Cambridge) and Practical English Usage (M. Swan) provide clear explanations and exercises on phrasal verbs and collocations. These are good books to have in your personal English library.
3. LEARN OVER TIME: Be selective with your choice of collocations and phrasal verbs. Only learn expressions that you are likely to use regularly when speaking, reading and writing in English. Learn a few new combinations each week and build your vocabulary over time for the best results.
4. ASK A NATIVE: Not sure whether to use ‘make’ or ‘do’? Not clear on the meaning of a collocation or phrasal verb? Try asking a native speaker for assistance! This could be your English teacher, a friend or a member of an ESL group on Facebook.
5. CORRECT YOUR MISTAKES: If you want to improve your fluency in English, then you need to become your own best critic! This means analysing your errors and asking questions about why your English is sometimes wrong. Whenever you make a mistake, write it down, find the correct form and make an effort to learn it!

Exercises to help you practise with ‘make’ and ‘do’

Perfect-English-Grammar.com has four sets of multiple choice exercises dedicated to the differences between ‘make’ and ‘do’. Well worth a look!

BBC Learning English has some basic explanations, followed by a multiple choice list of short exercises to help you test your understanding of make vs. do.

Cambridge English has an interesting interactive set of exercises. These ask you to select ‘make’ or ‘do’ for each example. The correct answer is then displayed.

BusinessEnglishResources.com has a wide range of free materials on topics related to business English. These include one page of exercises on the difference between ‘make’ and ‘do’ in a work context.

Alex Jude —
ESL Specialist & CEO at Online Teachers UK.

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