Collocations with MAKE and DO (B1)
B1 ⏱ 5 minutes
Collocations with MAKE and DO
“My students in Réunion often say ‘do a mistake’ or ‘make homework’ — and I understand exactly why. In Bengali, one verb covers both concepts. In French, faire does the same job. But in English, make and do have different collocations, and knowing which is which will immediately improve your English.”
🎯 Aim: Master the most common collocations with make and do — and never confuse them again.
The Rule of Thumb
MAKE → usually about creating, producing, or causing something: a mistake, a decision, a noise.
DO → usually about tasks, activities, or work: homework, exercise, research.
But there are many exceptions — the best approach is to learn each collocation individually.
DO → usually about tasks, activities, or work: homework, exercise, research.
But there are many exceptions — the best approach is to learn each collocation individually.
MAKE collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| make a mistake | Everyone makes mistakes when learning a language. |
| make a decision | It took me a year to make the decision to move to France. |
| make progress | My students are making great progress this term. |
| make an effort | Please make an effort to arrive on time. |
DO collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| do homework | Have you done your homework for tomorrow? |
| do exercise | I try to do exercise every morning before class. |
| do research | She is doing research into Creole languages in Réunion. |
| do damage | The storm did serious damage to the coast. |
| do a favour | Could you do me a favour and proofread this email? |
Common Errors to Avoid
| Wrong ❌ | Correct ✅ |
|---|---|
| do a mistake | make a mistake |
| make homework | do homework |
| do a decision | make a decision |
| make research | do research |
| do progress | make progress |
Practice Task: MAKE or DO? (10 sentences)
Fill in the blank with make or do in the correct form.
- She ________ a big mistake on the exam.
- Did you ________ your homework last night?
- He needs to ________ a decision by Friday.
- They are ________ research into ocean temperatures.
- Please ________ me a favour — can you call him?
- I’m trying to ________ more exercise this year.
- The children are ________ great progress in reading.
- The accident ________ a lot of damage to the car.
- You must ________ an effort to speak English outside class.
- Can you ________ the dishes after dinner?
Show answers
- made
- do
- make
- doing
- do
- do
- making
- did / caused
- make
- do
🏠 Takeaway: Create two columns in your notebook: MAKE and DO. Every time you meet a new collocation, add it to the right column. Over time, the patterns will become automatic.
Independent project. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification.