Lesson 26
Introduction
This tutorial is focusing on when to use ‘make’ or ‘do’ in English.
We use ‘make’ when we create or construct something.
We use ‘do’ for general activities.
Dialogue
1/Sentence Practice
Peter gets up at a quarter to seven, it’s Sunday the twenty-first of April two thousand and eighteen.
He makes the breakfast and he does the washing-up. He then makes his bed and does a bit of cleaning.
He makes a list of what he needs to buy at the shop and then he finishes getting dressed.
He does the shopping quickly. He buys a chicken and some fresh vegetables. His girlfriend Sara is making the dessert.
He must hurry up because the roast chicken will take one hour and a half to bake in the oven.
He peels the potatoes and scrapes the skin off the carrots, he then boils them for twenty minutes.
He puts the chicken in the oven at 175 degrees centigrade. After 45 minutes he puts the boiled vegetables in the oven with the chicken.
He then starts setting the table. The chicken will be ready in twenty minutes so he puts some frozen peas on to boil.
He then makes the gravy with some boiled water, a stock cube, some of the juices of the chicken and some flour.
He’s quite good at this dish, it’s a pity it’s the only dish he knows how to prepare.
Ding Dong, it’s the doorbell.
Vocabulary
2/Vocabulary Practice
- make and do
- to get up
- a quarter to seven
- the twenty-first of April
- two thousand and eighteen
- He makes the breakfast.
- He does the washing-up.
- He then makes his bed and does a bit of cleaning.
- He makes a list
- to buy
- at the shop
- to finish
- to get dressed
- he does the shopping
- a chicken
- fresh vegetables
- to make the dessert
- to hurry up
- the roast chicken
- one hour and a half
- to bake in the oven
- to peel the potatoes
- to scrape the skin off the carrots
- to boil
- for twenty minutes.
- to put in the oven
- 175 degrees centigrade
- After 45 minutes he does the boiled vegetables.
- to set the table
- to be ready
- frozen peas
- to make the gravy
- a stock cube
- the juices
- flour
- It’s a pity!
- to prepare
- the doorbell
Grammar
Expressions with make or do.
These are set phrases but there are ways of remembering them. These lists should help you memorise the idioms.
MAKE
is used with constructing, creating and the following categories / concepts:
1/ food and drink: to make lunch, to make dinner, to make a cup of tea, to make a cake
2/ speech and sound: to make a phone call, to make a speech, to make a suggestion, to make a noise, to make a joke
3/ origin and material (creation): to make a dress, made in China, to be made of gold
4/ intangible things and decisions: to make a promise, to make arrangements, to make a mistake, to make an effort, to make a choice
5/ reactions: to make someone happy, to make someone’s eyes water, to make someone sleepy, to make someone smile
6/ other / exceptions: to make your bed, to make friends, to make a mess…
DO
is used with action, tasks, activities, and the following categories / concepts:
1/ work and tasks: to do a job, to do the laundry, to do the washing-up, to do an English course, to do your homework
2/ when something is obvious: to do your hair, to do an exam, to do the shopping,
to do 10 miles per hour
3/ for something non-specific: to not do anything, to do everything
4/ other / exceptions: to do the crosswords, to do damage, to do well, to do good…
Questions and Answers
Questions and Answers
Do you make the breakfast?
Yes, I do make the breakfast.
Who does the dishes?
She does the dishes.
Who did you say, does the dishes?
Alright, we both do the dishes.
Who makes the cake?
We make the cake.
Who does the shopping?
We do the shopping.
Where do they make these cars?
They make these cars in Japan.
Who does your hair?
My friend does my my hair.
Do you do everything?
No, I do not do everything.
Who did this damage?
I do not know who did the damage.
Will you make me a promise?
Yes, I will make you a promise.