| Distinguishing the Differences Between "Make" and | | | | given above still hold true. Some additional examples |
| "Do" | | | | using "Do" and "Make" are: |
| English as a Foreign Language learners like those | | | | DO |
| whose first language or L1, is Spanish can have | | | | Do a dance, do a deal, do as you're told, do away with, |
| considerable difficulty in distinguishing when to use | | | | do chores, do favors, do harm, do it yourself, do (it or |
| "make" and when to use "do". Why? It's because in | | | | something) over again, do someone in, do the dishes, |
| Spanish, for example, the same verb, "hacer", is | | | | do the laundry, do the right thing, do time, do well, do |
| commonly used to represent both. The trick then, is to | | | | without, do your best, do your duty |
| find a way of aiding these English language learners | | | | MAKE |
| with making the distinction. | | | | Make a contract, make a delivery, make a difference, |
| Here's how I do it. | | | | make a list, make a mess, make a phone call, make a |
| Make | | | | point, make a profit, make a promise, make amends, |
| Essentially "make" means to "create" or cause | | | | make an effort, make believe, make contact, make |
| something to happen or produce a result. | | | | enemies, make fun of someone, make love, make |
| You make a cake, make noise, make trouble or make | | | | money, make news, make out, make over (very similar |
| friends. | | | | in context to do over), make peace, make room, make |
| Do | | | | sense, make someone happy, make someone laugh, |
| On the other hand, "do" usually signifies simply | | | | make someone sad, make sure, make the bed, make |
| performing an action without alluding to the results. So | | | | time, make room, make tracks, make up (has multiple |
| you do aerobics or exercises, do business or do your | | | | meanings), make up a story (same as create a story), |
| job. You can do well or do badly, do better or do | | | | make up your mind, make war, and make way |
| worse. | | | | This is but a quick reference list to give you some idea |
| Other Uses of Make and Do | | | | of the range and distinction that using "do" and "make" |
| Depending on context, both make and do can be used | | | | can have in the colloquial English language. For the |
| in a sentence to give it different meanings. A good | | | | most part, after a session explaining and demonstrating |
| example is homework. Teachers make homework, but | | | | these language elements in context, my learners have |
| learners do homework. | | | | far fewer problems in distinguishing when to use |
| The two verbs form a part of scores of idioms and | | | | "make" and when to use "do". I hope that this helps |
| expressions too. This can sometimes cause their | | | | you and your EFL learners too. |
| distinction to be less clear, but usually the definitions | | | | |