Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • I've just made myself a cup of tea

  • and I should do some housework soon

  • but, it got me thinking about two words

  • that many students find very difficult to use.

  • Today, I want to talk to you about 'make' and 'do'.

  • So why are these words so difficult to use?

  • The answer is that both words have very similar meanings

  • and, in many languages

  • they use just one word

  • like 'hacer' in Spanish

  • So what is the main difference?

  • Well with 'make' you are creating something

  • that didn't exist before

  • Whilst with 'do' you're completing a task

  • that already exists

  • Now please remember

  • as with all English concepts

  • there are always exceptions

  • and I will talk about those after I've explained the most important parts.

  • So things that we can create from scratch:

  • A coffee or tea: shall I make you one?

  • An offer: I'd like to make you an offer.

  • Can I make a suggestion?

  • Alright, but only if you make me a promise.

  • Also: I think I've made a mistake.

  • I'd like to make a complaint!

  • Who's making that noise?

  • I've made a really important discovery.

  • Most things to do with business go with make

  • for example: profit and loss

  • Last month I made a loss

  • but this month I want to make a profit.

  • You can also make an investment into somebody else's business.

  • If you're sure that your football team is going to win

  • It could be an idea to make a bet on them

  • to try and earn some extra cash

  • And also, if things go really well for you

  • and you earn a lot of money

  • you will have made a fortune.

  • Now let's talk about 'do'.

  • I've already told you that 'do' is when you complete a task that already exists

  • For example: every night I do my homework.

  • Next week I have to do a test.

  • In science we did experiments.

  • I hope I don't have to do any interviews soon!

  • Next summer, I think I'll do a language course.

  • Housework chores are tasks, and that's an important one to remember

  • I hate doing the shopping.

  • I don't mind doing the dishes

  • but I loathe (and that means really hate)

  • doing the ironing.

  • You can also do well or badly at something

  • I did badly in an exam last summer, so now I have to do it again.

  • You can do bad or good.

  • Doing good is doing something positive

  • If you eat healthily, you do yourself good.

  • You also do your best, or do your worst.

  • If you run a race, you should do your best

  • to try and achieve the best possible time.

  • I've got my red pen out!

  • It's exception time and unfortunately

  • there are many exceptions to do with 'do' and 'make'.

  • I told you that most things to do with money and business

  • go with make

  • However, have you ever heard the phrase

  • 'Pleasure doing business with you'?

  • Business, just the word, goes with do.

  • We do business with someone.

  • I also said that housework and chores go with do.

  • But when I get up in the morning I should make my bed.

  • I also said that make was to do with creation

  • So we create art, right?

  • Wrong! We do a drawing.

  • And finally, girls, hair and make-up.

  • I do my hair, and I also do my make-up.

  • Ooh! Sorry! Just doing my lipstick.

  • Um, that's it for 'make' or 'do'.

  • I really hope you learnt something

  • And I would really appreciate it if you subscribe

  • and also if you attempt the quiz that I'm showing next.

  • You can leave your answers in the comments

  • And I will try and correct them all.

  • Bye bye!

  • Some.....................

  • lpfdkgplfjdskgflkgpjgspljgdpddlp

I've just made myself a cup of tea

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it