Make vs. Do

Make vs. Do

1. Do. Express activities daily tasks or routine tasks

   • Examples
     • do homework
     • do housework
     • do the ironing
       • Had he done the ironing when you arrive?
     • do the dishes
     • do a job
   • She is doing my work today
     • I can do the shopping today
     • We do our homework every afternoon

2. Do. General Ideas

   • Examples
     • I’m not doing anything today
       • He didn´t do anything
     • He does everything for his mother
     • She’s doing nothing at the moment
       • You are doing nothing
     • do some gardening
     • do some thinking
     • do some painting

3. Do. Important expressions

   • Examples
     • do one’s best
     • do your best
     • do good
     • do harm
     • do a favour
     • do business
     • do your duty
     • do your hair
     • do a deed
     • do penance / time
     • do right / wrong
     • do enough

4. Make is for producing, constructing, creating or building something new

   • Examples
     • make food
     • make a cup of tea / coffee
     • make a mess
   • It is also used to indicate the origin of a product or the materials that are used to make something
     • His wedding ring is made of gold
     • The house was made of adobe

5. Make. Important expressions

   • Examples
     • make plans
       • make a choice
     • make an exception
     • make arrangements
     • make a telephone call
     • make a decision
     • make a mistake
     • make noise
     • make money
     • make an excuse
     • make an effort
     • make an offer
     • make peace / war
     • make love
     • make money / a profit
     • make a suggestion
     • make progress

6. In "to do" has more importance the action and in "to make" what matters is the result of it

7. We also use Make for producing an action or reaction

   • Onions make your eyes water
   • You make me happy
   • It’s not my fault. My brother made me do it!

8. We use Make with nouns about speaking and certain sounds

   • make a noise
   • make a speech
   • make a comment

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