Make vs. Do: Explained in English
by Eron Powell, Founder
Make and do both mean "to perform an action," but English uses them differently.
The Basic Rule
MAKE = Create or produce something:
- make a cake, make coffee, make a plan
DO = Perform an action or complete a task:
- do homework, do the dishes, do your best
Common Collocations with MAKE
Creating things:
- make breakfast/lunch/dinner
- make a cake/sandwich
- make coffee/tea
Communication:
- make a phone call
- make a decision
- make a promise
- make an excuse
Emotions/Reactions:
- make someone happy/sad/angry
- make a difference
- make progress
- make sense
Money/Work:
- make money
- make a profit
- make a living
Common Collocations with DO
Tasks/Work:
- do homework/housework
- do the dishes/laundry
- do your job
- do exercise
General actions:
- do your best
- do well/badly
- do a favor
- do business
Activities:
- do sport/yoga/karate
- do research
Special Cases
DO with "nothing," "something," "anything," "everything":
- What are you doing?
- I'm not doing anything.
- She did everything.
MAKE with "bed":
- make the bed (arrange it)
- NOT do the bed
DO with "hair," "nails":
- do your hair (style it)
- do your nails (paint them)
Learn collocations naturally with the FreeTalk Dictionary—see real examples while you read online.
Examples by Level
- A2: I make breakfast every morning and do the dishes after.
- A2: Can you make me a sandwich? I need to do my homework.
- B1: She made a decision to do more exercise.
- B1: We need to make progress and do our best.
- B2: They made a profit by doing business internationally.
Memory Tricks
Think of MAKE as creating something new:
- Can you see/touch the result? Usually MAKE
- make a cake (you can see it/eat it)
Think of DO as performing a task:
- Is it work or activity? Usually DO
- do homework (it's a task)
Common Mistakes
❌ I need to do breakfast.
✅ I need to make breakfast.
❌ Can you make me a favor?
✅ Can you do me a favor?
❌ She does a lot of noise.
✅ She makes a lot of noise.
FAQs
Q: Is there a 100% rule?
A: No. These are patterns, not strict rules. Some phrases are just fixed: "make the bed," "do your hair." Learn them through practice.
Q: What about "make love" vs. "do love"?
A: Fixed phrase: "make love" (romantic). Never "do love."
Q: Can I say "do a cake"?
A: No. Anything you create/produce uses MAKE. "Make a cake," "make dinner," "make art."
Q: "Do exercise" or "make exercise"?
A: "Do exercise" or "do sports." Exercise is an activity, not something you create.