do vs make

It is often difficult to choose between do and make.

Do

Do for general activity
When we talk about a general activity but do not say what it is, we can use do:

• I want to do something.
• What are you doing this evening?
• What can we do?
• Do it now!

Do for work
We usually use do to talk about work:

• What do you do? (= What is your job?)
• Who does your shopping?
• I don't want to do any work today.
• I hate doing the washing up.
• Have you done your homework?

Note that we sometimes use do to replace another more exact verb (but only when the meaning is clear from the situation). This is very informal.

• do the lawn (cut/mow? sow? the lawn)
• do my room (tidy? paint? my room)
• do the car (wash? paint? repair? the car)

Make

Make for construction
Make often expresses the idea of construction or creation:

• I'll make a cake for Anthony's birthday.
• This car was made in France.
• Did you make this table yourself?

Remember that we usually use make for products or goods that are manufactured. That's why you see labels like "Made in Hong Kong" or "Made in the USA" on products that you buy.

Now compare:

• Do the shopping. (We don't really create anything. We just "do" an activity.)
• Make a cake. (We really create something.)

In the next example, notice how we use make for creation (the cake) and then use do (for the general activity) even though we're really talking about the same thing:

• I must make Anthony's cake. I'll do it now.

Expressions with Do and Make

Here are some expressions that you should learn. Notice that as main verbs we use make more often than do:

do good do harm do well do badly do a favour do business

make an attempt make a bed (usually this means "tidy the bedclothes" but it could mean "manufacture the furniture") make a change/changes make a complaint make a decision make a demand make an effort make an exception make an excuse make a loss make love make a mistake make money make a noise make an offer make peace make a phone call make a profit make a suggestion make war

Do or Make Quiz

1	What do you do make for a living?	Click for answer do
2	Have you done made your homework already?	Click for answer done
3	My husband does makes the grocery shopping.	Click for answer does
4	Amber did made badly on her geography exam.	Click for answer did
5	The children made did a mess in the kitchen.	Click for answer made
6	We are having guests tonight, so please make do your bed.	Click for answer make
7	I only made did one mistake in my English test.	Click for answer made
8	I have to ask you to do make me a favour.	Click for answer do
9	Have you and your friend made done a decision yet?	Click for answer made
10	Please excuse me while I make do a phonecall.	Click for answer make

adjectives -ed or -ing

It is common to confuse adjectives such as bored/boring, excited/exciting.

If we look at the example: excited/ing

excited is an adjective that describes when someone feels happy and enthusiastic about something.

For example: She was so excited that she couldn't sleep.

exciting is an adjective that means something is making you excited.

For example: The football match was so exciting that she couldn't wait to tell everyone about it.



Here is a list of adjectives with Czech translations

Verb Adjectives

bore nudit	bored znuděný	boring nudný
shock šokovat	shocked šokovaný	shocking šokující
surprise překvapit	surprised překvapený	surprising překvapivý
interest zajímat	interested mající zájem	interesting zajímavý
worry znepokojovat	worried znepokojený	worrying znepokojující
annoy rozčilovat	annoyed rozčilený	annoying rozčilující
irritate iritovat	irritated iritovaný	irritating iritující
embarrass uvádět do rozpaků	embarrassed v rozpacích	embarrassing rozpačitý, trapný
relax uvolnit	relaxed uvolněný	relaxing uklidňující
depress deprimovat/i>	depressed v depresi	depressing depresivní
excite vzrušovat	excited vzrušený, nadšený	exciting vzrušující
thrill uchvátit	thrilled uchvácený	thrilling napínavý
frighten děsit	frightened vyděšený	frightening děsivý
disappoint zklamat	disappointed zklamaný	disappointing zklamávající

TEST YOURSELF

1. What are we going to do tonight? I'm so -- bored (bored/boring) just sitting here watching TV. Let's go out and do something -- exciting (exciting/excited)
2. Did you watch that -- interesting (interesting/interested) documentary on TV last night?
3. John hates working in a bank, he isn't -- interested (interested/interesting) in banking at all.
4. The -- surprising (surprised/surprising) fact that almost 20% of Americans are obese is, in part, due to the fact that they eat too much junk food.
5. His abilities were so -- amazing (amazed/amazing) that people travelled from far away to hear him play.
6. I am very -- disappointed (disappointed/disappointing) that you came home so late.
7. I was very -- depressed (depressed/depressing) in 2006, when England didn't win the World Cup.
8. Do you find that so -- surprising (surprised/surprising)?
9. I'd really hate to seem him lose his job because of his -- shocking (shocked/shocking) lack of preparation.
10. One of his favorite colours is -- shocking (shocked/shocking) pink.

Say or Tell

Say or Tell?

Say and tell have similar meanings. They both mean to communicate verbally with someone. But we often use them differently.

The simple way to think of say and tell is:

• You say something
• You tell someone something

You say something	You tell someone something
Ram said that he was tired.	Ram told Jane that he was tired.
Anthony says you have a new job.	Anthony tells me you have a new job.
Tara said: "I love you."	Tara told John that she loved him.

But, of course, it is not always so easy. Here are a few rules to help you.

Personal object
We usually follow tell with a personal object (the person that we are speaking to). We usually use say without a personal object:

• She told me that she loved John.
• She said that she loved John.
• He told everybody that he had to leave.
• He said that he had to leave.

Say "to someone"
With say, we sometimes use "to someone":

• He said to me that he was tired.
• Tara said to Ram that he had done very well.
• Anthony said to her, "I hope you come soon."
• "I'd like to sleep," she said to him quietly.

Direct speech
We can use say with direct speech. We use tell only with direct speech that is an instruction or information:

• Amanda said, "Hello John. How are you?"
• "That's great'" she said.
• He told her: "Open the door quietly."
• She told me, "I have never been to England."

We can use say with direct questions, but we cannot use tell:

• She said: "Do you love me?"
• The policeman said to the prisoner, "Where were you at 8pm?"

Reported speech
We can use say and tell to talk about reported information:

• She said that it was raining.
• She told me that she would call at 2pm.

We cannot use say or tell to talk about reported questions. We must use ask (or a similar verb):

• She asked if I had ever been there.
• They asked what I wanted to eat.
• She asked where he lived.
• He asked if she wanted to go home.

Orders, advice
We use tell + object + infinitive for orders or advice:

• She told him to sit down.
• They told me not to wait.
• Tell Neil to have a holiday and forget her.

Phrases
Here are a few fixed phrases with tell. We cannot use say with these phrases:

• tell (someone) a story
• tell (someone) a lie
• tell (someone) the truth
• tell the future (= to know what the future will bring)
• tell the time (= know how to read a clock)

Say or Tell Quiz

1	Anthony said told asked that he was hungry.	Click for answer said
2	Tara said told asked me that you were ill.	Click for answer told
3	He says tells asks everybody that he is French.	Click for answer tells
4	He said told to me that he was angry.	Click for answer said
5	The doctor said told her: "Lie on the couch."	Click for answer told
6	She said told asked , "That's a great idea!"	Click for answer said
7	She said told : "What's the time?"	Click for answer said
8	He said told asked that it had snowed the week before.	Click for answer said
9	She said told asked me that Bangkok was hot.	Click for answer told
10	She said told asked if I had ever been there.	Click for answer asked
11	James said told him to shut up.	Click for answer told
12	They said told asked what I felt like.	Click for answer asked
13	Say Tell him to have a drink and relax.	Click for answer Tell
14	He always says tells asks his daughter a bed-time story.	Click for answer tells
15	Some people just cannot say tell the truth.	Click for answer tell
16	Panita said told that she was disappointed.	Click for answer said
17	The teacher told asked : "Have you done your homework?"	Click for answer asked
18	He's 9 years old and still can't say tell the time.	Click for answer tell
19	His father said told him not to come home late.	Click for answer told
20	How do I know? I can't say tell ask the future.	Click for answer tell

if I will/would

A common mistake is using will or would straight after if.

For example

"If I will go to the party, I will drink a lot" or
"If I would meet him, I will be happy"

These sentences are conditional sentences, and as a rule you should not use will or would in the same section (clause) as if.

First conditional (containing will) is used to express future predictions:

If + present simple,.... will

"If I go on holiday this year, I will need a new passport" (will is used in the second part of the sentence)

Second conditional (containing would) is used to talk about imaginary future situations:

If + past simple,.... would

"If I won the lottery, I would buy a house in Vinohrady"

Test Yourself

1	What would you do if it will rain would rain rained on your wedding day?	Click for answer rained
2	If she comes I will would call you.	Click for answer will
3	If I eat peanut butter I get would get sick.	Click for answer get
4	What will you do if you fail you would fail you will fail the history exam?	Click for answer fail
5	If he didn't watch wouldn't watch won't watch so much TV, he would be a lot more healthy .	Click for answer didn't watch
6	If it snows will you would you would you have still drive to the coast?	Click for answer will you
7	He goes went will go with you if you ask him.	Click for answer will go
8	If I won a million dollars I would buy will buy my own airplane.	Click for answer would buy
9	If I forget her birthday Andrea gets would get upset.	Click for answer gets
10	Jacob will pick you up at school if it will rain rains rained .	Click for answer rains