FREE TRIAL

Do vs Make in English: What Is the Difference?

10,000+ pros coached•since 2007•4.9/5 rating•experienced native teachers•free trial, no credit card

Do and make are two of the most confused verbs in English, because both can translate to a single verb in many languages. The short version: use make when you produce or create something, and use do for actions, tasks and duties.

This guide is for A2 to B1 learners. By the end you will know when to use each verb, the most common expressions with do and make, the mistakes to avoid, and you can test yourself with a quick self-check. Most do/make choices are fixed collocations, so it helps to learn them as whole phrases.

On this page

A quick video summary

Do vs make: the difference in one line

Use make when the focus is on producing or creating something (an object, food, a plan, a reaction). Use do when the focus is on an action, task or activity, especially work and chores. Many combinations are fixed, so learn them as collocations rather than translating word by word.

MAKE

create / produce a result

Use MAKE for creating or producing something tangible or a result.

  • I’m making a sandwich.
  • She makes beautiful art.
  • He made a decision.
  • We can make a difference.

DO

actions / tasks / duties

Use DO for general actions, work, chores and activities.

  • What do you do for a living?
  • Do the dishes after dinner.
  • I need to do my homework.
  • Let’s do some exercise.

When to use MAKE

Use make to talk about creating or producing something: food and drink, objects and art, plans and decisions, sounds and reactions. It often focuses on the result: We made cookies puts the focus on the cookies.

When to use DO

Use do for actions, tasks, jobs and duties, and for activities in general. It often focuses on the activity itself rather than the result: We are doing some baking focuses on the activity. Do is also common for chores and routine tasks.

Reading the rule is easy; choosing do or make automatically while you speak is the goal. Practise the tricky collocations with an experienced native teacher in a free trial lesson. No credit card needed.

Book my free trial

Common expressions with DO

These are frequent collocations with do, grouped by type. The examples stay in English so you can memorise them as fixed phrases.

Type Common expressions
Chores do the dishes, do the laundry, do the cleaning, do the ironing
Work and study do your homework, do business, do a course, do your job
General activities do exercise, do the shopping, do your hair, do research
Fixed expressions do your best, do someone a favour, do good/harm, do the right thing

Common expressions with MAKE

These are frequent collocations with make, grouped by type.

Type Common expressions
Food and drink make a sandwich, make coffee, make dinner, make a cake
Plans and decisions make a decision, make a plan, make an appointment, make a choice
Communication make a phone call, make a suggestion, make a comment, make a speech
Money make money, make a profit, make a fortune, make a living
Fixed expressions make a mistake, make progress, make a mess, make sense, make friends, make an effort

Common mistakes with do and make

  1. Saying “do a mistake”. Wrong: I did a mistake. Right: I made a mistake.
  2. Saying “make your homework”. Wrong: I make my homework. Right: I do my homework.
  3. Translating word by word. Many choices are fixed: make a decision (not “do a decision”), do the shopping (not “make the shopping”). Learn the whole phrase.

Quick self-check

Fill each gap with do or make, then reveal the answers.

1. Can you ____ me a favour?
2. She wants to ____ a good impression.
3. I still have to ____ the washing-up.

Show answers

1. do a favour.   2. make a good impression.   3. do the washing-up.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between do and make?
Use make when you produce or create something (an object, food, a plan, a reaction). Use do for actions, tasks, jobs and duties. Many combinations are fixed collocations, so it helps to learn them as whole phrases.
When do you use make?
Use make for creating or producing something: make a cake, make a decision, make a plan, make a noise, make a mistake. It often focuses on the result.
When do you use do?
Use do for general actions, work, chores and duties: do your homework, do the dishes, do business, do exercise, do a favour.
Is it “do a mistake” or “make a mistake”?
It is “make a mistake”. Mistake goes with make, not do.
How can I learn do and make?
Learn them as collocations, meaning whole phrases, rather than word by word. Group them by type (chores, plans, communication) and practise them out loud.

Key takeaways

  • Use make to produce or create something; use do for actions, tasks and duties.
  • Make often focuses on the result; do on the activity.
  • Most do/make choices are fixed collocations: learn the whole phrase.
  • Say make a mistake, make a decision, do your homework, do the dishes.
  • Group expressions by type to remember them faster.

Keep learning

Written and reviewed by the experienced native English teachers at Live English, online since 2007.