MAKE or DO?

by | 27 Aug 2021 | General English, Grammar

 

Make and do are two different verbs and they are generally not interchangeable. As a guide, generally MAKE focuses on a result and DO focuses on a process. MAKE and DO can also be conjugated to express present, past, future, simple, continuous and perfects.

 

 

At the end of every week, they have to make a decision as to what to do to relax.

It was obvious what you were doing when I arrived.

Whose turn is it to make dinner today? I am so hungry.

 

It can be difficult when learning and practising these verbs to decide whether the focus is on the process or result. There may even be times when the speaker disagrees on the use. Most commonly, the use is predetermined.

 

expressions

there are some things we always do

Expressions Describing Sickness

 

Every Saturday I do the cleaning.

He is out at the moment doing the shopping.

She thought that she would do you a favour and start to negotiate with them before you get there.

Maybe we can all do the washing up when we finish eating.

He was thinking of going to university to do a degree.

 

there are some things we always make

 

 

After I clean, I make things neat and tidy.

Make your mind up will you, we have not got all day.

After a few weeks in the job, they really started to make progress.

Will you make some coffee please?

 

sometimes we change the verb depending on the situation

make washing up [create washing up by making things dirty]

do washing up [to wash dirty plates and pans etc]

every time you visit, you make housework [make mess in a house which means there is more work to be done]

feel free to not do housework if you feel tired [to engage in the process of organising and/or cleaning a house, room or flat etc]

 

 

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