Do or make

Should we use do or make? What are the differences between do and make? Let’s dive deeper!

We use “do” to talk about jobs and tasks

• Can you do what I asked please? (Implies a task)
• Did you do your homework last night?
• You’re doing odd things right now.

“Do” is used to talk about all activities, anything for which we do not have a name

• What is she doing?
• I don’t like what she’s doing.
• Did you do a noise?
• What would you like to do?
• I like to do things in the garden in my spare time.

We use do + gerund (verb + –ing) to talk about activities that take some time to complete

(We normally used determiners with this construction).

• Have you done any cycling today?
• I did some running yesterday.
• One should do a lot of reading, it’s important.
• Let’s do some writing.

“Make” is used to talk about ‘constructing’ or ‘creating’

• We just made a new pastry in the kitchen.
• Are you making a house?
• Let’s make a cake, hmm.
• My stepbrother is making a new apartment building.

Do or make? — exceptions to be learned by heart

• Do: exercise, sport, business, good, harm, one’s duty, one’s teeth, one’s hair, one’s best, x amount of Km, a favour.
• Make: money, a noise, a journey, an offer, a decision, an attempt, love, peace, war, a profit, a fortune, an exception, a mistake, an excuse, a suggestion, a fire, progress, a phone call, an effort, arrangements