Do or Make?

It is not always easy to choose between "do" and "make".

Do can be an auxiliary verb (Do you like coffee?) or a main verb (I did my homework yesterday.). As an auxiliary verb, it has no meaning. It is necessary only for the grammatical structure. As a main verb it has a meaning, but the meaning is rather general. It often expresses a general activity.

Make is not an auxiliary verb. It is always a main verb (I made a cake yesterday.). Its meaning is also rather general, but it often expresses the idea of construction or creation.

In this lesson we look at some guidelines that may help you:

Do

Do for general activity

When we talk about a general activity but do not say what it is, we can use do:

I want to do something.

What are you doing this evening?

What can we do?

Do it now!

Do for work

We usually use do to talk about work:

What do you do? (= What is your job?)

Who does your shopping?

I don't want to do any work today.

I hate doing the washing up.

Have you done your homework?

Note that we sometimes use do to replace another more exact verb (but only when the meaning is clear from the situation). This is very informal.

do the lawn (cut/mow? sow? the lawn)

do my room (tidy? paint? my room)

do the car (wash? paint? repair? the car)

Make

Make for construction

Make often expresses the idea of construction or creation:

I'll make a cake for Anthony's birthday.

This car was made in France.

Did you make this table yourself?

 Tip

Remember that we usually use make for products or goods that are manufactured. That's why you see labels like "Made in Hong Kong" or "Made in the USA" on products that you buy.

Now compare: 

Do the shopping. (We don't really create anything. We just "do" an activity.)

Make a cake. (We really create something.)

In the next example, notice how we use make for creation (the cake) and then use do (for the general activity) even though we're really talking about the same thing:

I must make Anthony's cake. I'll do it now.

Expressions with DO

do good

do harm

do well

do badly

do (someone) a favour

do business

do the homework

do the gardening

do the laundry

do the ironing

do one's best

do miracles (wonders)

Expressions with MAKE

make an attempt

make a bed (usually this means "tidy the bedclothes" but it could mean "manufacture the furniture")

make a change/changes

make a complaint

make a decision

make a demand

make an effort

make an exception

make an excuse

make a loss

make love

make a mistake

make money

make a noise

make an offer

make peace

make a phone call

make a profit

make a suggestion

make war