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Do, make, or take
Do is to perform an activity or task, make is to create something new, and take is to have a shower, a break, or a photo.
Quick rule
A task or activity? Do. Something new that gets created? Make. A shower, a break, a photo, or a class? Take.
To perform an activity or task: do yoga, do the dishes, do some research.
To create, produce, or cause something: make lunch, make a mess, make a plan.
To have, get, or carry out something: take a shower, take a break, take a class.
How to choose
| Question | do | make | take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is it an activity or a task (___ homework)? | Yes | No | No |
| Is something new created (___ a cake)? | SometimesSometimes | Yes | No |
| Is it something you "take": a bath, a break, a photo (___ a shower)? | SometimesSometimes | No | Yes |
Why it trips people up
Do, make, and take are three very common verbs that combine with nouns in fixed ways. They get mixed up because several languages use a single verb for all three, and because the rules are really collocations to learn.
How each one works
Do
An activity
My cousin does yoga every morning before work.
A task
Dad is doing the taxes this weekend.
Do + something: an unnamed plan
Do you want to do something fun on Friday?
Make
Causing a result
We made a mess in the kitchen.
Preparing or creating something
I made lunch for the kids.
Telling a joke
He made a joke and everyone laughed.
Take
Take + a shower
I take a shower before bed.
Take + a break
She took a short break at noon.
Take + a class
I'm taking a Spanish class on Tuesdays.
What comes next
do plus activity or task
We did the cleaning on Sunday.
do plus some / any / something
Can I do anything to help?
make plus something created
Let's make pancakes for breakfast.
make plus a noise, a mess, a fuss
The cat made a noise in the hall.
take plus a bath, a break, a nap
Mom takes a bath after work.
take plus a class, a course, notes
Take notes during the lecture.
Set phrases
Do
- do some research
- to look for information about a subject
- do the ironing
- to press clothes with an iron
Make
- make sense
- to be easy to understand or logical
- make a noise
- to produce a sound, often an annoying one
Take
- take place
- to happen, usually in a planned way
- take notes
- to write down the main points while listening
Almost the same
I did my hair this morning.
A task you carry out.
I made a cake this morning.
Something new now exists.
I took a bath this morning.
It is something you have.
She took a photo of the cake.
She captured an image.
She made a cake for the photo shoot.
She created the cake.
In a conversation
- A:
Any plans for this weekend?
- B:
I have to do my laundry, and then I want to make a big lunch for my family.
- A:
Sounds nice. I will take a day off and just rest.
- B:
Good idea. Enjoy your day off!
Common mistakes
Wrong: She made a lot of exercise at the gym.
Right: She did a lot of exercise at the gym.
Exercise is an activity you carry out, so it takes do. Make is for creating things.
Wrong: The students made the exam on Friday.
Right: The students took the exam on Friday.
You take a test or exam. Make an exam would mean creating the questions.
Memory trick
Ask what is left at the end. If something new exists (a soup, a noise, a plan), make. If it is an activity you carry out (yoga, the taxes), do. If it is something you have or get (a shower, a break, a photo), take.
It depends
- Do can produce things
- Oxford lists do for drawings and meals: do a drawing, Does this pub do lunches?. So "creating means make" has exceptions.
- Make or take a decision
- In American English you make a decision. Take a decision is British, according to Longman.
FAQ
Do you make notes or take notes?
Oxford lists take notes as the fixed phrase. Make a note of something means to write it down for later.
Do you do or take a course?
Oxford lists take a course. Do is also used for studying a subject, as in I'm doing physics, so both are heard.
What is the difference between make and do?
Do is for activities and tasks, such as chores. Make is for creating or causing something, though many pairs are fixed.