1. Definition and Overview
A collocation is a pair or group of words that naturally go together in English. Native speakers use these combinations instinctively — they simply sound right. Among the most important verb collocations at the 2nd-year Baccalaureate level are those built around the verbs do and make. Although both verbs can be translated by a single word in many other languages (including Arabic, French, and Spanish), they are not interchangeable in English. Using the wrong verb produces unnatural-sounding English and is penalised in written and spoken exams at B1–B2 level and above.
2. The Core Rule: How to Choose Between Do and Make
The choice between the two verbs depends on the nature of the action and its outcome.
- MAKE — Use when the action creates, produces, or results in something. The focus is on what is brought into existence: a product, an outcome, or an effect.
- DO — Use when the action is a task, duty, or general activity that does not necessarily produce a tangible object. The emphasis is on performing or completing the activity itself.
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Quick memory test: Can you picture a finished product or specific result from the action? Use MAKE. Is it an activity or task being carried out? Use DO.
3. Form and Structure
Both verbs follow the same grammatical pattern:
[DO / MAKE] + [article: a / an / the — when needed] + [noun or noun phrase]
These collocations appear in all tenses and verb forms. The article used depends on whether the noun is countable or uncountable.
- Present simple: She makes a mistake every time. / I do the shopping on Fridays.
- Past simple: They made great progress. / We did the dishes together.
- Present perfect: He has made a decision. / They have done their homework.
- Continuous: She is making a plan. / I am doing the ironing.
- Infinitive: to make a phone call / to do the laundry
4. Uses: Key Collocation Groups
Common MAKE collocations
Use make with the following noun groups:
- Food and drink: make breakfast / lunch / dinner, make a sandwich, make a cup of tea
- Communication and sound: make a phone call, make a noise, make a complaint, make a suggestion, make a speech, make a promise, make a joke
- Decisions and plans: make a decision, make a plan, make an appointment, make a reservation, make a choice, make a list, make arrangements
- Results and effects: make progress, make a difference, make an effort, make an improvement, make a mistake, make a mess
- Financial outcomes: make money, make a profit, make a fortune, make a loss
- Social and other: make friends, make peace, make the bed, make fun of someone, make sure
Common DO collocations
Use do with the following noun groups:
- Housework and domestic tasks: do the dishes, do the laundry, do the ironing, do the shopping, do the cooking, do the cleaning, do the housework, do chores
- Study and professional work: do homework, do an assignment, do research, do a project, do a course, do an exam, do paperwork, do overtime, do business, do coursework
- Physical activities and sport: do exercise, do yoga, do gymnastics, do karate, do a puzzle, do a crossword
- General performance and service: do your best, do well, do the right thing, do a favour, do harm, do damage, do a good job, do nothing / something / anything
5. Worked Examples
Correct MAKE sentences
She made a good decision about her future career.
They made great progress in just one month of study.
Please make an effort to arrive on time for every lesson.
He made a promise he would study harder before the Baccalaureate.
The new school timetable makes a real difference to students' concentration.
I need to make a phone call to the administration office.
Correct DO sentences
I always do my homework before watching television.
She does exercise every morning to stay healthy.
Can you do me a favour and pass this message to the teacher?
We did our best on the mock exam last week.
He does the shopping every Saturday morning at the local market.
They are doing research for their end-of-year project.
Both verbs in context (contrast)
I made a list of all the things I need to do this week.
She made the decision to leave early, so she did the washing-up quickly and left.
6. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Collocation errors with do and make are among the most frequent mistakes made by intermediate and upper-intermediate learners. They persist even at advanced levels. Here are the most important errors to memorise and avoid:
- WRONG: "I need to do a decision." → CORRECT: "I need to make a decision."
- WRONG: "She did a mistake." → CORRECT: "She made a mistake."
- WRONG: "They did progress last year." → CORRECT: "They made progress last year."
- WRONG: "I will make my homework." → CORRECT: "I will do my homework."
- WRONG: "She makes exercise every day." → CORRECT: "She does exercise every day."
- WRONG: "Can you make me a favour?" → CORRECT: "Can you do me a favour?"
- WRONG: "We made some shopping." → CORRECT: "We did some shopping."
- WRONG: "They make research." → CORRECT: "They do research."
Why do these errors happen? In languages such as French, Arabic, and Spanish, a single verb often covers the meanings of both do and make. This creates direct interference when learners translate mentally. Overgeneralisation is another cause: once learners master one collocation (e.g., make a plan), they incorrectly extend the same verb to similar-sounding nouns (e.g., make research). The solution is systematic memorisation of complete phrases, not isolated verb-noun guessing.
7. Learner Strategy: Four Questions to Ask Yourself
When you are unsure which verb to use, work through these four questions:
- Does this action create something new, produce a result, or cause an effect? → Use MAKE.
- Is this an activity, task, or duty being performed or completed? → Use DO.
- Can I picture a specific finished product — a cake, a plan, a mistake, a noise? → Likely MAKE.
- Is the focus on completing work, an assignment, housework, or a sport activity? → Likely DO.
When in doubt, always learn the entire phrase in context — not just the noun alone. Record collocations as complete units: make a complaint, not just complaint.
8. Key-Point Summary
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Key point: MAKE = result / product / creation / effect (make a decision, make progress, make a noise). DO = task / activity / action / performance (do homework, do exercise, do the dishes). Never use them interchangeably — memorise each collocation as a complete phrase, and always ask yourself whether the action creates something (MAKE) or simply performs something (DO).
Mastering do/make collocations is a concrete, measurable step towards fluency. They are tested directly in multiple-choice cloze and open cloze tasks at B2 level, and they appear constantly in writing and speaking. Organise your vocabulary notebook by semantic category (food, communication, housework, study), write each collocation in a full example sentence, and review them regularly. This targeted practice will eliminate one of the most persistent error types in upper-intermediate English.