"Make" or "Do"? Collocation Mistakes That Sound Translated
Some English words simply go together. Here are the collocation mistakes that make writing sound translated, and how to learn the right pairs.
A collocation is a pair or group of words that naturally go together. Native speakers say make a mistake and do homework. Nobody decided this logically; it's just how English developed. Get it wrong and the reader understands you, but your writing sounds translated.
The make/do family
| make | do |
|---|---|
| a mistake | homework |
| a decision | the shopping |
| a plan | your best |
| progress | business |
| money | a favour |
| a noise | exercise |
| an effort | research |
A rough guide: make is often about creating or producing something; do is often about activities, tasks and work. But the guide has exceptions, so learn the pairs.
Other common collocation errors
I took a decision. / I did a photo. / It was a strong rain. / I said a lie.
I made a decision. / I took a photo. / It was heavy rain. / I told a lie.
More pairs worth knowing:
- pay attention (not give attention)
- take an exam (make an exam means you are the teacher writing it!)
- have a shower, have a rest
- strong coffee, heavy traffic, high prices
- spend time, waste time, save time
- raise a question, solve a problem
How to learn collocations
- Notice them while reading. When you see a useful noun, look at the verb in front of it.
- Learn nouns with their partners. Write a decision → make in your notebook, not just decision.
- Use a collocation dictionary or search an example sentence in quotation marks.
- Steal from model answers. Every Writadia task has a model with highlighted phrases. Copy the useful collocations into your error log.
A test for your own writing
Underline every verb + noun pair in your last essay. For any you're not sure about, check. Fixing three or four collocations can make a whole paragraph sound more natural.
Quick practice
Fill in the gaps, then check.
- I need to my homework.
- Don't a mistake!
- Can you me a favour?
- We should a decision today.
- I some exercise every morning.