English learners often have trouble knowing whether they should use "make", "do", "take" or another verb with certain noun objects. This lesson will help you remember the most common collocations with the verb "make".
The nouns have also been organized by the preposition that they use to connect to other nouns, which will help you create complete and correct sentences.
TO
Make improvements (to something)
The company has made significant improvements to its corporate image.
Make changes (to something)
We need to make changes to our schedule.
Make adjustments (to something)
I want to make some adjustments to my diet.
Make a commitment (to something)
Employees need to make a commitment to reaching their targets.
Make an exception (to something)
I'm afraid we cannot make any exceptions to our refund policy.
Make a call (to someone)
I have to make a call to my brother.
Make repairs (to something)
Some workers are making repairs to the roof of my house.
Make a contribution (to something)
Everyone on the team made contributions to our successful results.
Make a donation (to something)
I make a donation to a charity every year.
FOR
Make recommendations (for something)
She made some recommendations for our website.
Make demands (for something)
The citizens have made demands for political change.
Make plans (for something)
I'm excited to make plans for my wedding!
Make a reservation (for something)
I'll make a reservation for dinner. Where would you like to go?
Make arrangements (for something)
My assistant is making the arrangements for my business trip.
Make excuses (for something)
He always makes excuses for being late.
Make requests (for something)
Can I make a request for an extra blanket in our room?
ABOUT
Make complaints (about something)
Customers made complaints about the service.
Make decisions (on/about something)
Have you made a decision about the job offer that you received?
Make comments (about something)
He made some inappropriate comments about her appearance.
ON
Make mistakes/errors (on/with something)
I made some mistakes with my first marriage.
Make a compromise (on something)
My daughter wanted a tattoo on her shoulder but I didn't like the idea. Eventually we made a compromise on a small tattoo on her ankle.
WITH
Make progress (with something)
I'm finally making progress with starting my own business.
Make comparisons (with/between something)
People often make comparisons between the Harry Potter books and the movies.
Make a difference (with/in something)
My new medication has made a difference with my arthritis
ON
Make an impact (on something)
Having a child has made a big impact on my lifestyle
Make an impression (on someone)
I want to make a good first impression on my girlfriend's parents.
OTHER
Make an effort (towards something)
Everyone made an effort towards cleaning up the neighborhood.
Make promises
Don't make promises that you can't keep.
Make a purchase
My house was definitely the biggest purchase that I've ever made.
When to NOT use "make"
There are some important nouns to mention that do not use "make". Please remember these common mistakes:
Make a good job (incorrect)
Do a good job (correct): you did a great job on your presentation!
Make research (incorrect)
Do research (correct): we did a lot of research about the market
Make a party (incorrect)
Have a party (correct): we're going to have a party to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.
Make a question (incorrect)
Ask a question (correct): Can I ask a question about the instructions?
Learn the difference between "make" & "do" along with 99 other lessons including the difference between "in time" & "on time", "even if" & "even though" and "either" & "neither".
Practice
Choose the correct verb for each sentence. Most answers will be "make" but not all of them! (if the noun was not mentioned in this article then the answer will not be "make").
We need to make/take/do adjustments to our strategy.
Thank you for making/taking/doing a donation to our fundraiser.
We're making/taking/doing action to prevent this problem from happening again
Don't worry, I'll make/take/do the arrangements for the event.
I'm surprised that they're making/taking/doing so much progress with their prototype.
I hope that I make/take/do a good job on the test.
I like to make/take/do comparisons between products before making/taking/doing a purchase.
When there's a crisis, you have to make/take/do control quickly.
We need to make/take/do more research before we make/take/do a decision.
I don't like to make/take/do excuses when I make/take/do a mistake. I make/take/do responsibility.
I'm making/taking/doing improvements with my English. I'm making/taking/doing an effort to practice every day.
Removing fast food from my diet has really made/taken/done a difference with my weight.
I'm making/taking/doing a project for one of our biggest clients.
I made/took/did a request for a taxi to pick me up at the airport.
We don't usually let people bring their pets inside but we can make/take/do an exception if it's a service animal.
It's important to make/take/do a good impression on a recruiter in a job interview. You really want your answers to make/take/do a big impact on them.
Answers
We need to make adjustments to our strategy.
Thank you for making a donation to our fundraiser.
We're taking action to prevent this problem from happening again.
Don't worry, I'll make the arrangements for the event.
I'm surprised that they're making so much progress with their prototype.
I hope that I do a good job on the test.
I like to make comparisons between products before making a purchase.
When there's a crisis, you have to take control quickly.
We need to do more research before we make a decision ("take a decision" is also possible).
I don't like to make excuses when I make a mistake. I take responsibility.
I'm making improvements with my English. I'm making an effort to practice every day.
Removing fast food from my diet has really made a difference with my weight.
I'm doing a project for one of our biggest clients.
I made a request for a taxi to pick me up at the airport.
We don't usually let people bring their pets inside but we can make an exception if it's a service animal.
It's important to make a good impression on a recruiter in a job interview. You really want your answers to make a big impact on them.
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