Make and do both translate as one verb in many languages, so learners mix them up. In English, make usually means to create or produce something, and do usually means to perform an action.
You make a cake, a plan or a mistake. You do homework, the dishes or your best. The difference is the focus: make looks at the result, and do looks at the activity.
The lists are long, but the test is short. This page gives the test, the phrases learners meet most, and 15 sentences to fix the pattern.
What each word means
make
make (verb): to create, produce or prepare something. There is usually a result you can see, hold or hear.
do
do (verb): to perform an action, job or task. The focus is the activity, especially a routine one.
The rule
Make creates a result
- Make + a thing: make a cake, make a plan, make a list, make a film.
- Make + money, friends, progress or a mistake: things that appear or grow.
- Make + object + adjective: "The news made me happy." The result is a change.
- Make + object + base verb: "She made me wait." Here make means force.
Do performs a task
- Do + the + task: do the dishes, do the washing, do the shopping, do the housework.
- Do + study and exercise words: do homework, do a course, do research, do yoga.
- Do + a general action: do a favour, do business, do your best.
- Do is also the general activity verb in questions: "What do you do?"
The quick test
- Can you see, hold or point at a new thing at the end? Use make.
- Is the word a routine chore or a study task, often with the? Use do.
- Try replacing the verb with create. If it fits, use make. If it sounds wrong, use do.
- When two words form a fixed phrase, learn the phrase as one block: make the bed, do the dishes.
Fixed phrases worth memorising
- Make: make the bed, make a mistake, make a noise, make sure, make a phone call, make an effort.
- Do: do the dishes, do the laundry, do sport, do exercise, do a favour, do well.
- A few pairs change with the phrase: make a mess, do a mess? No. Only make a mess is standard.
- Note that do is irregular: do, did, done. Make follows the same pattern: make, made, made.
How to remember
The trick: Make produces a new thing; do repeats a known task. If you can point at the result, make it; if you are just busy, do it.
Examples
- I made a cake for her birthday.The cake is a new object, so make is correct.
- He did his homework before dinner.Homework is a study task, so do is correct.
- Let us make a plan for the weekend.A plan is a new thing, so make is correct.
- She does yoga every morning.Yoga is an activity, so do is correct.
- They made a lot of money last year.Money is the result of the work, so make is correct.
- Please do the dishes after supper.The dishes are a routine chore, so do is correct.
- Making friends takes time.Friends are the result of the process, so make is correct.
- I have to do some shopping this afternoon.Shopping is a routine task, so do is correct.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: I need to make my homework. Right: I need to do my homework.
- Homework is a study task, so it takes do.
- Wrong: She did a big mistake in the report. Right: She made a big mistake in the report.
- A mistake is a result that appears, so make is correct.
- Wrong: Can you do a cake for the party? Right: Can you make a cake for the party?
- A cake is something new that you produce, so make is correct.
- Wrong: He makes the dishes every evening. Right: He does the dishes every evening.
- The dishes are a routine chore, so the verb is do.
- Wrong: We need to do a decision today. Right: We need to make a decision today.
- A decision is a result you produce, so make is correct.
Practice drill
Answer all 15 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
Can you ___ a cup of tea?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. make A cup of tea is produced, so make is correct.
I have to ___ my homework.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. do Homework is a study task, so the verb is do.
She ___ a big mistake in the email.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. made A mistake is a result that appears, so the past verb is made.
He ___ the dishes every night.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. does The dishes are a routine chore, so the verb is does.
We need to ___ a decision by Friday.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. make A decision is produced, so make is correct.
They ___ a lot of money last year.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. made Money is the result of their work, so made is correct.
I ___ yoga before breakfast.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. do Yoga is an activity, so the verb is do.
Please ___ your bed before you leave.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. make Make the bed is a fixed phrase, and the bed is the result.
She ___ her best in the exam.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. did Do your best is a fixed phrase about effort, not a result.
Let us ___ a plan for the weekend.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. make A plan is something you produce, so make is correct.
Who is going to ___ the shopping today?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. do The shopping is a routine task, so the verb is do.
The children ___ a lot of noise last night.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. made Make a noise is a fixed phrase, so the past verb is made.
I need to ___ a phone call.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. make Make a phone call is a fixed phrase with make.
He ___ business in three countries.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. does Do business is a fixed phrase about activity, so does is correct.
Do not worry, you will ___ better next time.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. do Do better is a fixed phrase about performing, so do is correct.
Questions learners ask
Is there a rule that always works?
The result test covers most cases: make produces something new, and do performs a task. The rest are fixed phrases, such as make the bed and do the dishes, which you learn as whole blocks. When in doubt, say the phrase out loud or check a learner dictionary.
Why is it make money but do business?
Money is the result that you produce, so make fits. Business is an activity that you carry out, so do fits. English chose the two words long ago, and the phrases are now fixed.
Can I use get instead of make or do?
Sometimes in informal speech: "get ready", "get a haircut". But get does not fit the common phrases on this page. Use make and do for the phrases, and keep get for obtaining something.
More confusing words
Bring vs take
Bring moves something here, to the speaker or the shared place. Take moves something there, away from the speaker.
Hear vs listen
Hear is what reaches your ears without trying. Listen means you pay attention to the sound on purpose.
There, their or they're
There names a place or introduces a thing. Their belongs to them. They're is the short form of they are.
Browse all the confusing word pairs or take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.