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Joy English · Level B2 · Collocationsjoy-english.com

Collocations with make and do

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Learn common fixed phrases with make and do, such as make progress, make sense, do research and do someone a favour.

Make or do?

Choose the verb that completes the collocation.

  1. Could you ___ me a favour and pick up my parcel from the post office?
    • a) make
    • b) give
    • c) do
  2. Scientists at the university are ___ research into sleep and memory.
    • a) doing
    • b) making
    • c) taking
  3. I've read this paragraph three times and it still doesn't ___ sense.
    • a) do
    • b) make
    • c) have
  4. The flood ___ serious damage to farms along the river.
    • a) made
    • b) took
    • c) did
  5. If you aren't happy with the service, you can ___ a complaint to the manager.
    • a) make
    • b) do
    • c) say
  6. What does make a difference mean?
    • a) change your mind about something
    • b) have an effect, usually a positive one
    • c) disagree with someone politely
  7. She has ___ excellent progress since she joined the course.
    • a) done
    • b) had
    • c) made
  8. I ___ a silly mistake in the last question of the test.
    • a) made
    • b) did
    • c) took

Complete the collocation

Type the noun that completes each phrase. Use each word once. Use: arrangements, best, chores, decision, difference, effort, research.

  1. I know the exam is hard, but just do your ___ and don't panic.
  2. Before the trip, Mina made all the travel ___: flights, hotels and a hire car.
  3. Turning off one light may seem small, but if everyone does it, it makes a real ___.
  4. We still haven't made a ___ about which flat to rent.
  5. At the weekend my teenage son does most of the household ___, such as vacuuming and washing up.
  6. Professor Adeyemi has done ___ on coral reefs for over twenty years.
  7. Lena is shy, but she made a real ___ to talk to the new students.

Answer key

Make or do?

  1. c) doThe fixed phrase is do someone a favour.
  2. a) doingWe do research. We never make research.
  3. b) makeThe collocation is make sense, meaning be easy to understand.
  4. c) didWe say do damage. Cause damage is also possible, but make damage is not.
  5. a) makeThe collocation is make a complaint.
  6. b) have an effect, usually a positive oneIf something makes a difference, it has an effect, usually a good one.
  7. c) madeWe make progress. Done progress is a common learner mistake.
  8. a) madeWe always make a mistake, never do a mistake.

Complete the collocation

  1. bestDo your best means try as hard as you can.
  2. arrangements / plans / bookingsMake arrangements means plan and organise the details of something.
  3. differenceMake a difference means have an effect, usually a positive one.
  4. decision / choiceMake a decision means decide something after thinking about it.
  5. chores / jobs / tasksChores are the regular jobs in a home, and we do them.
  6. researchDo research means study a subject carefully to discover new facts. Research is uncountable.
  7. effortMake an effort means try hard, especially when something is difficult for you.

Joy English · free English practice · https://joy-english.com/vocabulary/make-and-do