(And 10 Common Mistakes Every English Learner Makes)
Many languages use a single verb for both creating things and performing tasks (such as ‘hacer’ in Spanish or ‘faire’ in French). In English, choosing the wrong one between ‘make’ and ‘do’ is one of the most noticeable mistakes an ESL speaker can make.
The Golden Rule: Creation vs. Action
| • Use MAKE for Creating, Building, or Producing a Result. Focus: The end product you can see, hear, or touch. Example: She makes dinner every night. / He made a big mistake. |
| • Use DO for Actions, Obligations, Daily Chores, and General Activities. Focus: The process of doing work or effort (no new object is built). Example: I need to do my homework. / She is doing the laundry. |
Quick Reference Comparison
| Category | MAKE (Create / Produce) | DO (Action / Obligation) |
| Food & Drinks | Make coffee, make dinner, make a cake | Do the dishes (cleaning up) |
| Work & Tasks | Make a plan, make a list, make a presentation | Do homework, do business, do paperwork |
| Household Chores | Make the bed | Do laundry, do chores, do the cleaning |
| Communication | Make a call, make a noise, make an excuse | Do someone a favor |
| Money & Success | Make money, make a profit, make a fortune | Do well, do your best, do badly |
The 10 Most Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
1. Chores: Homework vs. Housework
❌ Incorrect: I need to make my homework before dinner.
✅ Correct: I need to do my homework before dinner.
2. Morning Routine: Bed
❌ Incorrect: Every morning I do my bed after waking up.
✅ Correct: Every morning I make my bed after waking up.
3. Errors & Corrections
❌ Incorrect: I did a terrible mistake on the exam.
✅ Correct: I made a terrible mistake on the exam.
4. Decisions
❌ Incorrect: Have you done a decision yet?
✅ Correct: Have you made a decision yet?
5. Phone Calls
❌ Incorrect: Excuse me, I have to do a phone call.
✅ Correct: Excuse me, I have to make a phone call.
6. Helping Others
❌ Incorrect: Can you make me a favor?
✅ Correct: Can you do me a favor?
7. Cleaning Dishes
❌ Incorrect: It is your turn to make the dishes.
✅ Correct: It is your turn to do the dishes.
8. Financial Earnings
❌ Incorrect: He does a lot of money in tech.
✅ Correct: He makes a lot of money in tech.
9. Progress & Improvement
❌ Incorrect: She is doing a lot of progress in English.
✅ Correct: She is making a lot of progress in English.
10. General Activities with ‘-ing’
❌ Incorrect: I’m going to make some shopping.
✅ Correct: I’m going to do some shopping.
