Make and Do. English grammar with exercises. Free eBook and Free printable PDF. English ESL Worksheets
Make and Do
Make and Do
Do focuses on the process of acting or performing something, make emphasises more the product or outcome of an action:
When I was doing the calculations, I made two mistakes.
Nouns which combine with do
activity | damage | favour | job | task |
business | drawing | gardening | laundry | test |
cleaning | duty | harm | one’s best | washing (up) |
cooking | exam(ination) | homework | painting | work |
course | exercise | ironing | shopping |
I do the shopping on Fridays usually.
Could you do a job for me next week?
Who does the cooking in your house?
Nouns which combine with make
apology | coffee | excuse | love | offer | remark |
assumption | comment | friends | lunch | phone call | sound |
bed | complaint | guess | mess | plan | soup |
breakfast | dinner | law | mistake | profit | speech |
cake | effort | list | money | progress | statement |
change | error | loss | noise | promise | tea |
Exercises
Make and do
EXERCISE 1.
Choose do/make for these expressions.
- Â __________ a favour
- __________ an example
- __________ the ironing
- __________ the exercises
- __________ aerobics
- __________ sure
- __________ a cake
- __________ mistakes
- __________ a good impression
- __________ an appointment
- __________ good
EXERCISE 2.
Complete the following sentences.
- There is nothing in my fridge. I need to _________ some shopping.
- Her dress is beautiful, can you believe she ________ it herself?
- I can’t understand what you are saying, could you please ________ an example?
- ________ you ________ the exercises in the book?
- This pottery is very precious, it is hand _______.
- Do you think that this cure will ________ him any good?
- Could you _______ me a big favour? Shut your big mouth!!
- __________ sure you don’t forget to lock the door and put the alarm on before you leave.
- The candidate __________ such a long speech that almost everyone in the audience was on the verge of falling asleep.
-  If you don’t have time now we can ____________ an appointment for another day.
EXERCISE 3.
Complete the following sentences using the suitable verbs (make/do).
e.g. Make your bed before leaving.
- She loves cooking. She even…………………………home-made bread.
- We’ll…………………………our best to help you out.
- He’s so funny when he…………………………an Irish accent.
- Wear your best suit for the interview. You must…………………………a good impression!
- I spent the whole week-end…………………………the cleaning: my flat was simply filthy dirty!
- Drinking won’t…………………………you any good. You’d better not…………………………a habit of it.
- Stop behaving like that! Can’t you see you are …………………………a fool of yourself?
- All your teachers are really pleased with your results. You’re…………………………really well!
- You should try to…………………………yourself understood.
- Don’t worry! It will…………………………you no harm!
- She eventually…………………………the decision to leave her parents’ house.
- I can…………………………without your help! I can manage on my own.
- If you work very hard, I’m sure you can…………………………the deadline.
EXERCISE 4.
Complete the sentences with the suitable words.
e.g.  If she had just made more effort, she would have succeed.
- Are you sure that it wasn’t just a dream? What you’re saying just doesn’t make………………
- I don’t understand him. What…………………………is he trying to make?
- I have been made a good…………………………for the flat. I think I will sell it soon.
- The bus must be late again. What…………………………do you make it, as a matter of interest?
- We are having great time at the party, but we should make our………………………… home soon.
- It won’t make much…………………………to me, whether you come or not.
- His latest book made a very good…………………………on me. I actually consider it his masterpiece.
- She makes………………………… as hairdresser.
- I’d rather keep the news secret. I just don’t want to make a…………………………of it.
- How did you make such a………………………… in your room?
EXERCISE 5.
Chose the correct verb to complete the sentence.
Example:Â Can you make/do me a favour?
Can you make/do me a favour?
- The company made/did huge profits this year.
- Have you made/done your homework yet?
- She’s a great cook. She makes/does lovely cakes.
- What did you make/do this morning?
- Debbie is very talented. She does/makes all her own clothes.
- He’s outside, doing/making repairs to the roof.
- Do/make a guess. Even if you don’t know the answer.
- He was very nervous about the speech he had to make/do.
- The prisoners made/did good their escape.
- It was a tough decision to do/make. In the end she was fired.
EXERCISE 6.
Decide which of the following sentences are incorrect and correct them.
Example:
Bob hasn’t did his bed today.
Bob hasn’t made his bed today.
- Don’t do a move or I’ll shoot.
- I’ll do my best, you can’t ask for more than that.
- She did lots of excuses for him. The truth is dog school would make wonders for him.
- What are you making a fuss about? It’s only a couple of questions.
- He went to the police station to do a full confession.
- Make haste while the sun shines.
- They were doing good progress on the English course.
- The wedding is planned. All the preparations are did.
EXERCISE 7.
Complete with ‘do’ or ‘make’.
- __________ one’s best ___________ money
- __________ an effort ___________ arrangements
- __________ a speech ___________ a favour
- __________ justice to ___________ homework
- __________ enquiries ___________ up your mind
- __________ friends with ___________ an exercise
- __________ a job ___________ a complaint
EXERCISE 8.
Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the verbs above.
- I ______ always _______ John favours and he never even says thank you.
- Helen ___________ her mind up. She’s not going to accept the job offer.
- ________ justice _______ to the girl who was mugged?
- Ian can’t ___________ friends very easily. He’s very shy.
- I ____________ my homework yesterday. I’m sorry. I’ll do it for tomorrow.
- They _________ an official complaint this morning regarding the service we offer.
- Just think! I ______________ this job for 10 years now and I still enjoy it.
- ‘Would you like to come out with me this evening?’ ‘I’m sorry, I can’t. I _______ already _________ arrangements.
- If I change jobs, I _____________ much more money.
- Even though I ___________ my best, it still wasn’t good enough.
- I asked my teacher ____________ me some exercises on the Present Perfect as I don’t understand it very well.
- I know it’s difficult but the most important thing is to show that you ___________ an effort.
- Due to lack of preparation, he _________ a terrible speech which nobody could understand.
- I ________________ enquiries as to where we can go on a cheap holiday this year. I’ve been to lots of travel agencies this week and I still don’t know where to go.