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)

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.