1. Why make and do are hard
Most languages have one general-purpose verb where English has two. Spanish hacer, Portuguese fazer, Italian fare, French faire, German machen, Russian делать, Turkish yapmak, Hindi करना (karna), Chinese 做 (zuò), Japanese する (suru) and Korean 하다 (hada) each translate as either make or do depending on the noun. So when you build an English sentence from your first language, you are guessing.
The second problem is less obvious. Those same verbs also cover phrases where English uses neither make nor do: hacer una pregunta is ask a question, faire attention is pay attention, ein Foto machen is take a photo. Choosing carefully between make and do won’t help there — you need a third verb.
There is a useful pattern behind make and do, and it explains a large share of everyday phrases. But it is a tendency, not a rule you can apply to every noun. The honest approach is to use the pattern for a good first guess and to learn the frequent exceptions as complete phrases.
2. The patterns that hold
Do: activities, work and tasks
- Unspecified activity — do something, do nothing, do anything; What are you doing? What do you do? (= what is your job).
- Work, jobs and study — do work, do a job, do research, do homework, do an exercise, do a project.
- Chores, often with -ing nouns — do the dishes, do the laundry, do the cleaning, do the shopping, do the ironing.
- Good and bad effects — do good, do harm, do damage, do (someone) a favor, do your best, do well, do badly.
Make: producing something
- Making or preparing a thing — make dinner, make a cake, make coffee, make a copy, make a list, make a film.
- Things you produce by speaking — make a call, make a comment, make a complaint, make a suggestion, make a promise, make an offer, make an excuse, make a speech, make a noise.
- Plans and choices — make a plan, make a decision, make a choice, make arrangements, make an appointment.
- Money and results — make money, make a profit, make a loss, make progress, make a difference.
The same situation can take either verb depending on how you name it: make dinner (a meal is produced) but do the cooking (a chore); make a mistake but do something wrong.
3. Phrases to learn as a whole
These are frequent, and the pattern above either doesn’t explain them or points the wrong way. Learn each one as a unit, the way you would learn a single word.
| Make | Do |
|---|---|
| make a mistake | do business (with someone) |
| make the bed | do someone a favor |
| make an effort | do your hair / do your make-up |
| make friends | do exercise |
| make sure (= check) | do without (= manage without) |
| make sense | do a course (BrE; AmE usually take a course) |
| make up your mind (= decide) | do an exam (BrE; AmE take an exam) |
| make it (= arrive in time, or succeed) | do time (informal: serve a prison sentence) |
Make a mistake deserves special attention. Speakers of Hindi (galti karna), Turkish (hata yapmak) and Russian (сделать ошибку) very often say “do a mistake”, because their verb is the same one they use for do. In English it is always make.
4. When the answer is neither
Many “make or do?” errors are really the wrong verb altogether. If your first language would use its make/do verb, check this table before you choose between the two.
| Learners often write | English says | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| make a photo | take a photo | German ein Foto machen, Spanish hacer una foto, Italian fare una foto |
| make a question | ask a question | Spanish hacer una pregunta, Portuguese fazer uma pergunta, Italian fare una domanda |
| make attention | pay attention | French faire attention, Italian fare attenzione |
| make a break / a pause | take (or have) a break | German eine Pause machen, Spanish hacer una pausa |
| make a walk | go for a walk / take a walk | French faire une promenade, German einen Spaziergang machen |
| make a party | have (or throw) a party | Spanish hacer una fiesta, French faire une fête, German eine Party machen |
| make holiday(s) | go on holiday (BrE) / take a vacation (AmE) | German Urlaub machen, Italian fare le vacanze |
| do tennis | play tennis | Japanese テニスをする (tenisu o suru) |
One phrase people often “correct” is not an error at all. French and Italian speakers who say take a decision (from prendre une décision, prendere una decisione) are using standard British English. Make a decision works everywhere and is the usual American form, so it is the safer default — but take a decision is not a mistake.
5. Common questions, quick answers
| Make or do…? | Answer |
|---|---|
| …homework | do homework |
| …a copy | make a copy |
| …research | do research |
| …an effort | make an effort |
| …a presentation | give is most common; make is also standard; do is informal British |
| …a report | usually write a report; make a report means to report something officially, for example to the police |
| …a test or exam | take (everywhere); do or sit also in British English |
| …sport | do sport (BrE) / play sports (AmE); do exercise |
| …a meeting | neither: have or hold a meeting |
| …a complaint | make a complaint |
When you are unsure, look up the noun, not the verb. A learner’s dictionary entry for mistake or research shows which verbs go with it, usually in the example sentences.
6. Quiz
Twelve everyday sentences. Some need make, some do, and some neither.
Make, do or another verb? 12 questions
Answer key and explanations
1. Could you ___ me a favor?
B. do
The fixed phrase is do someone a favor.
2. I need to ___ a phone call before the meeting.
A. make
Make a call: make is used for many things you produce by speaking (a call, a comment, a complaint, a promise).
3. We ___ a lot of progress last month.
B. made
Make progress is the fixed phrase, like make money and make a profit.
4. Have you ___ the dishes yet?
B. done
Household chores take do: do the dishes, do the laundry, do the cleaning.
5. Don't worry, everyone ___ mistakes.
B. makes
Make a mistake. Speakers of Hindi (galti karna), Turkish (hata yapmak) and Russian often say do a mistake, because their verb covers both.
6. She ___ a lot of research before writing the report.
B. did
Do research, like do work and do a job: an activity rather than a product.
7. Can I ___ a question?
C. ask
Neither make nor do: English asks a question. Spanish hacer una pregunta and Italian fare una domanda lead to make a question.
8. Let's ___ a short break.
C. take
Take a break (have a break is also common). German eine Pause machen and Spanish hacer una pausa lead to make a break.
9. That explanation doesn't ___ sense.
B. make
Make sense is a fixed phrase.
10. The storm ___ a lot of damage to the roof.
B. did
Do damage, like do harm and do good. (Outside this quiz, caused a lot of damage is also natural.)
11. I ___ my bed every morning.
A. make
Make the bed is a fixed exception: tidying a bed is an activity, but English says make.
12. Could you ___ a photo of us?
C. take
English takes a photo. German ein Foto machen, Spanish hacer una foto and Italian fare una foto all lead to make a photo.
Another pair that a single verb in your language may cover is say and tell — try the say vs. tell exercises.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between make and do?
As a tendency, make is used when something is produced (make dinner, make a plan, make a call) and do is used for activities, work and tasks (do homework, do the dishes, do research). Many common phrases do not follow the tendency (make a mistake, make the bed, do business, do someone a favor), so learn the whole phrase.
Is “take a decision” correct?
Yes. Take a decision is standard in British English, and it is what speakers of French (prendre une décision) and Italian (prendere una decisione) naturally say. Make a decision is used everywhere and is the only usual form in American English. Do a decision is not used.
Do I make, do or give a presentation?
Give a presentation is the most widely used. Make a presentation is also standard, especially in formal or business contexts. Do a presentation is common in informal British English. All three are understood; give is the safest choice.
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