Should I Use 'Make' or 'Do?'

 

Question: This week we answer a question from Hamza. She writes, "What is the difference between "make" & "do"? How and when should I use them?"

Answer:

Dear Hamza,

Ask a Teacher

"Make" and "do" are similar verbs² in English. There are some words that go together with "make" and others that go together with "do." In other words, there are fixed³ expressions⁴ in English with both of these verbs, and you just have to learn them. But there are general rules you can follow:

Use "make" for when you create or produce something.

Use "do" for actions you must do, like jobs or work, and for general activities, especially activities you repeat⁵ often.

Let's look at some examples of each verb¹.

Make

Here are examples of "make" for things we produce. These can be something you can touch, like food and drinks.

I made a cake for your birthday.

Please make some tea before you leave.

Sometimes you cannot see or touch the thing that is created.

Your dog is making too much noise.

We are making progress on our study.

She made plans to go to a movie with her sister.

Do

Let's look at use of "do" for work or jobs. In another "Ask a Teacher" we talked about the questions, "What do you do? and "What are you doing?" Here are some other examples of using "do" to talk about work at home.

I have to do the planting every fall.

Mom says, "No TV until you do your homework."

Another way to use "do" is with words like "something," "anything" and "nothing."

I did not do anything yesterday.

Are you doing something interesting over the holiday?

The police did nothing to stop the crimes⁶.

Next time you are trying to decide between "make" and "do," please keep these rules in mind. The more you listen to and read English, the easier it will be to choose between these verbs.

Do you have a question for the VOA English teachers? Please email⁷ us with your question. Our email is [email protected].

Words in This Story

cake – n. a sweet cooked food, often eaten to celebrate something.

1 verb   

n.[语]动词

参考例句：

• The sentence is formed from a verb and two nouns.这句子由一个动词和两个名词构成。
• These are the finite forms of a verb.这些是一个动词的限定形式。

2 verbs   

动词

参考例句：

• I have to swot up on phrasal verbs for a test tomorrow. 我不得不为明天的测验努力温习短语动词。
• Verbs that do not take object are called intransitive verbs. 不带宾语的动词称为不及物动词。

3 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

4 expressions   

n.表情( expression的名词复数 )；表示；（数学）表达式；词

参考例句：

• ritualized expressions of grief 以例行的方式表达悲伤
• The fashionable remarks of today often become the commonplace expressions of tomorrow. 今天的时髦话往往变成明天的陈词滥调。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 repeat   

n.重复，反复；vt.重复，复述；vi.重复；adj.重复的，反复的

参考例句：

• There will be a repeat of this talk next week.下星期将重播这次讲话。
• History will not repeat itself.历史不会重演。

6 crimes   

n.罪，罪行，犯罪( crime的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts were empowered to impose the death sentence for certain crimes. 法院有权因某些罪行判处罪犯死刑。
• The two crimes are apparently unconnected. 这两起犯罪显然没有关联。

7 email   

n.电子邮件（Electronic mail），透过电脑网路传送邮件的方式

参考例句：

• You can send me an email.你可以给我发一份电子邮件。
• It's Interesting to read your email.读你的电子邮件很有趣。