Improve Your English Grammar - When to Use Make vs Do

Summary

In this educational video, Anna from English Like a Native provides a clear guide on the usage of 'make' and 'do' in English. She explains the various functions of 'do', including forming questions, negations, and emphasizing actions. Anna then contrasts 'do' with 'make', highlighting that 'make' is often used for creating or producing results, while 'do' is more about carrying out a process. She offers helpful tips on when to use each verb by examining collocations with words like 'favor', 'business', and 'promise'. The video also touches on common phrases and gray areas, encouraging viewers to consult a worksheet provided for further understanding. With a light-hearted poem and a friendly tone, Anna aims to make the learning process both enjoyable and memorable.

Takeaways

• 📚 'Do' is a versatile auxiliary verb used for forming questions, negations, and emphasis, as well as a common action verb.
• ❓ 'Do' can be used in elliptical sentences, as a question tag, to express adequacy, and to avoid repetition.
• 🗣️ 'Make' is often used to talk about results, such as creating, constructing, or producing something.
• 💼 'Make' can also imply forcing someone to do something, causing a reaction, or performing an action that results in a change.
• 🔄 The choice between 'do' and 'make' can depend on the collocation with specific words like 'favor', 'suggestion', 'business', and 'promise'.
• 🤔 When actions are associated with producing results, 'make' is typically used, while 'do' is used for carrying out a process.
• 🎓 'Do' is the correct verb to use with activities like 'business', 'exercise', 'yoga', and 'gardening'.
• 🎨 There are exceptions and gray areas where both 'do' and 'make' can be used, such as in the context of art or cooking.
• 👩‍🎤 'Make music' is used when musicians perform in a way that creates a specific type of sound or outcome.
• 📘 'Do' and 'make' can be interchangeable in educational contexts, such as 'do subjects' or 'do homework'.
• 🏡 In casual or domestic settings, 'do' is often used to allocate tasks or roles without needing precision, like 'do the dishes' or 'do the laundry'.
• 📝 The script also mentions that 'make do' is a phrase that means to manage or cope with what one already has.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video presented by Anna from English, like a native dot Co dot UK?

The main purpose of the video is to clarify when to use 'make' and when to use 'do' in the English language and to provide a worksheet to help viewers remember the lesson.

What are some of the functions of the word 'do' as explained in the video?

The word 'do' serves several functions such as being used in ellipses, for emphasis, to mark tenses, form negations and questions, express whether something is enough or acceptable, and as a common and useful verb in its own right.

How does the video differentiate between the use of 'do' and 'make'?

The video differentiates by stating that 'do' is generally concerned with carrying out a process, while 'make' is often used to talk about results, such as creating, constructing, or producing something.

What is the link provided in the video for those who want to access the worksheet?

The link to the worksheet is provided in the description below the video.

Can you give an example of how 'do' is used to express emphasis in the video?

An example of 'do' used for emphasis in the video is 'Oh Emily, I do like your new shoes.'

What is the explanation for using 'make' when talking about results?

The explanation is that 'make' is used when the intention is to create, construct, or produce something, which implies a result or an outcome.

How does the video suggest we remember the difference between using 'make' and 'do' with certain words?

The video suggests that we remember the collocation of words with 'make' or 'do', such as making suggestions, promises, offers, efforts, and making money and friends, as these actions are intended to produce results.

What are some examples of activities where 'do' is the correct verb to use according to the video?

Examples given in the video include doing someone a favor, doing business, doing a course, doing exercise, doing yoga, doing crosswords, and doing gardening.

How does the video address the potential gray areas in choosing between 'make' and 'do'?

The video suggests that in gray areas, it's often better to use more specific words, such as drawing pictures, painting portraits, creating installations, cooking, frying, or grilling food, and combing, cutting, or styling hair.

What is the advice given in the video for situations where precision is not as important as the allocation of roles or the taking of action?

The advice is to use 'do' instead of being precise, as it simplifies communication and focuses on the action or task分配.

What is the phrase 'make do' explained in the video and what does it mean?

The phrase 'make do' explained in the video means to manage or cope with what you already have.