DO OR MAKE? EXERCISE 2 (ESL)
level: Intermediate (B1/B2)
This second exercise places more emphasis on fixed collocations - set expressions where the correct verb simply must be learned as a unit. The grammar review below lists the most important ones.
Grammar review
Do or make? — fixed expressions and tricky pairs
Once you know the basic pattern (do = activities/tasks; make = creating/producing), the real challenge is the large number of fixed expressions where the logical rule doesn’t always apply. These must simply be learned.
Common fixed expressions with DO:
do the shopping, do research, do someone a favour, do damage, do harm, do good, do your duty, do your best, do a course, do sport
Common fixed expressions with MAKE:
make a bed, make an appointment, make arrangements, make an effort, make an exception, make an excuse, make a living, make a mess, make a point, make progress, make sense, make sure, make a speech, make up your mind
Pairs that trip up even advanced learners:
do research (the activity) vs make a discovery (the result)
do sport / do exercise vs make a goal (scoring)
do a course vs make progress
Strategy: When in doubt, try to recall a sentence where you’ve heard or read the expression before. Exposure to natural English is the most reliable way to build intuition for do/make collocations.
Once you know the basic pattern (do = activities/tasks; make = creating/producing), the real challenge is the large number of fixed expressions where the logical rule doesn’t always apply. These must simply be learned.
Common fixed expressions with DO:
do the shopping, do research, do someone a favour, do damage, do harm, do good, do your duty, do your best, do a course, do sport
Common fixed expressions with MAKE:
make a bed, make an appointment, make arrangements, make an effort, make an exception, make an excuse, make a living, make a mess, make a point, make progress, make sense, make sure, make a speech, make up your mind
Pairs that trip up even advanced learners:
do research (the activity) vs make a discovery (the result)
do sport / do exercise vs make a goal (scoring)
do a course vs make progress
Strategy: When in doubt, try to recall a sentence where you’ve heard or read the expression before. Exposure to natural English is the most reliable way to build intuition for do/make collocations.
Choose do or make to complete each sentence.
KEEP PRACTICING — MORE EXERCISES FOR YOU:
More do/make exercises:
Do or Make? Exercise 1 (B1/B2)
Related auxiliary verb exercises:
Do or Does? 1 (A1/A2)
Which Word: Do, Does, Is, Are? 1 (B1-B2)
Do or Does? Exercise 2 (A1-A2)
Auxiliary Verbs Exercise 3 (Be, Do, Have) (A2/B1)
Do or Does? Exercise 3 (A1-A2)
Auxiliary Verbs Exercise 1 (Be, Do, Have) (A2/B1)
Auxiliary Verbs Exercise 2 (Be, Do, Have) (A2/B1)
Using the word Like in English 1 (B1/B2)
Browse all grammar exercises →
More do/make exercises:
Do or Make? Exercise 1 (B1/B2)
Related auxiliary verb exercises:
Do or Does? 1 (A1/A2)
Which Word: Do, Does, Is, Are? 1 (B1-B2)
Do or Does? Exercise 2 (A1-A2)
Auxiliary Verbs Exercise 3 (Be, Do, Have) (A2/B1)
Do or Does? Exercise 3 (A1-A2)
Auxiliary Verbs Exercise 1 (Be, Do, Have) (A2/B1)
Auxiliary Verbs Exercise 2 (Be, Do, Have) (A2/B1)
Using the word Like in English 1 (B1/B2)
Browse all grammar exercises →
