Grammar, compared
Make vs do
Make is for creating something. Do is for tasks and activities. Many pairs simply have to be learned as a unit.
Book a trial classThe short answer
| Make | Do |
|---|---|
| I make dinner. (I create it.) | I do the dishes. (A task.) |
| She made a mistake. | She did me a favour. |
| We made a decision. | We did our homework. |
The pairs to learn
| Make | Do |
|---|---|
| a decision | homework |
| a mistake | a favour |
| a phone call | the dishes |
| money | business |
| a plan | your best |
| progress | exercise |
| friends | research |
| an effort | the shopping |
Do also stands for a general task: do something, do nothing, do the laundry. Make is for a result you can point to.
Watch out if you speak Spanish
- Hacer covers both, so learn the phrases, not the verb. Hacer la cama is make the bed. Hacer los deberes is do homework.
- Hacer una pregunta is ask a question. Hacer una fiesta is have a party. Hacer un curso is take a course.
- Hacer deporte is do sport or play a sport. Hacer amigos is make friends.
- When a sentence feels odd, check the noun. The noun usually decides.
Practice
Grammar practice
Choose or type the answer for each sentence, then check.
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Questions
- Is there a rule for make and do?
- Only a loose one: make for creating and results, do for tasks and activities. Most phrases are simply learned, so practise them in groups.
- Do I say make a photo or take a photo?
- Take a photo. Hacer una foto in Spanish is take a photo in English.
Keep going
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