Make vs. Do – English Grammar Exercises for B1
Read the sentences below about a person complaining to their best friend about their endless weekend chores. Choose the correct option (A, B, C, or D) to fill in the blank.
1 Every Saturday morning, I wake up and immediately have to ______ the laundry.
(A) doing
(B) make
(C) do
(D) wash
2 I really hate having to ______ the housework when I just want to relax on my days off.
(A) do
(B) to do
(C) clear
(D) make
3 Yesterday, I spent three hours trying to ______ all the ironing!
(A) make
(B) fold
(C) doing
(D) do
4 Can you believe my roommate never helps me ______ the dishes?
(A) did
(B) do
(C) make
(D) clean
5 I always ______ the shopping on weekends because our fridge is completely empty.
(A) make
(B) buy
(C) do
(D) to do
6 Before I even leave my room, I always ______ the bed, which is the only chore I don’t mind.
(A) make
(B) do
(C) tidy
(D) making
7 My kids always ______ a huge mess in the living room right after I spend hours cleaning it.
(A) doing
(B) do
(C) create
(D) make
8 I am so exhausted because I’ve been ______ chores since 7 AM.
(A) done
(B) doing
(C) making
(D) working
9 After sweeping the floors, I usually ______ the dusting while listening to a podcast.
(A) do
(B) make
(C) wipe
(D) does
10 Could you ______ me a favor and take out the trash? I’m too tired to move.
(A) do
(B) give
(C) doing
(D) make
11 I am so tired of ______ the cooking every single night!
(A) making
(B) do
(C) doing
(D) preparing
12 On Sundays, I just want to sit on the couch and ______ nothing at all.
(A) do
(B) doing
(C) make
(D) have
13 When it comes to meals, I actually prefer to ______ dinner rather than clean up afterwards.
(A) do
(B) build
(C) makes
(D) make
14 I try to ______ a good job with the cleaning, but the house never stays tidy for long.
(A) do
(B) doing
(C) make
(D) work
15 I finally ______ the decision to hire a cleaner next month because I can’t handle this anymore.
(A) did
(B) made
(C) found
(D) make
16 I don’t want to ______ a fuss, but I’m completely burnt out from all this endless house maintenance.
(A) make
(B) making
(C) scream
(D) do
17 Honestly, buying a robot vacuum cleaner has really ______ wonders for my stress levels!
(A) done
(B) made
(C) doing
(D) created
18 I can never ______ time for my hobbies anymore because the housework takes up my entire weekend.
(A) find
(B) do
(C) make
(D) makes
19 I always ______ my best to keep the apartment neat, but it’s just too overwhelming.
(A) make
(B) do
(C) give
(D) doing
20 I think I could really ______ without all this endless scrubbing and sweeping!
(A) do
(B) live
(C) make
(D) doing
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) do
- Why it is correct: “Do the laundry” is a fixed collocation. Washing clothes is a routine task or process that does not create a new physical product.
- Error Analysis: (B) make is a Common Mistake. (A) doing is a Structural Error (requires a base verb after “have to”). (D) wash is a Meaning Trap (we say “wash the clothes”, but “wash the laundry” is not a natural collocation).
2 (A) do
- Why it is correct: “Do the housework” refers to performing a series of routine tasks.
- Error Analysis: (D) make is a Common Mistake. (B) to do is a Structural Error (the sentence already has “to” before the gap). (C) clear is a Meaning Trap (you can “clear a room”, but you cannot “clear the housework”).
3 (D) do
- Why it is correct: “Do the ironing” is a standard household chore collocation.
- Error Analysis: (A) make is a Common Mistake. (C) doing is a Structural Error (requires a base verb after “trying to”). (B) fold is a Meaning Trap (you fold clothes, but you don’t fold the “ironing” while you are ironing it).
4 (B) do
- Why it is correct: “Do the dishes” means to wash the plates and cutlery.
- Error Analysis: (C) make is a Common Mistake. (A) did is a Structural Error (requires a base verb after “helps me”). (D) clean is a Meaning Trap (while you do “clean” the plates, the standard idiom is “do the dishes”).
5 (C) do
- Why it is correct: “Do the shopping” refers to the regular task of buying groceries.
- Error Analysis: (A) make is a Common Mistake. (D) to do is a Structural Error. (B) buy is a Meaning Trap (“buy the shopping” sounds repetitive and unnatural).
6 (A) make
- Why it is correct: Important Exception! Even though it is a chore, we say “Make the bed”. You are creating a tidy, organized arrangement out of messy blankets.
- Error Analysis: (B) do is the most Common Mistake because students over-apply the “do = chores” rule. (D) making is a Structural Error. (C) tidy is a Meaning Trap (you tidy a room, but native speakers specifically “make” a bed).
7 (D) make
- Why it is correct: “Make a mess”. You are creating or producing chaos.
- Error Analysis: (B) do is a Common Mistake. (A) doing is a Structural Error. (C) create is a Meaning Trap (it means the same thing, but “create a mess” is too formal and unnatural for daily conversation).
8 (B) doing
- Why it is correct: Present perfect continuous tense. “Do chores” is the standard phrase for performing household tasks.
- Error Analysis: (C) making is a Common Mistake. (A) done is a Structural Error (requires V-ing after “have been”). (D) working is a Meaning Trap (you work on a project, but you don’t “work chores”).
9 (A) do
- Why it is correct: “Do the dusting” is a standard cleaning task.
- Error Analysis: (B) make is a Common Mistake. (D) does is a Structural Error (the subject is “I”). (C) wipe is a Meaning Trap (you wipe the dust, but you “do the dusting”).
10 (A) do
- Why it is correct: “Do someone a favor” is a fixed B1 idiom meaning to help someone.
- Error Analysis: (D) make is a Common Mistake. (C) doing is a Structural Error (requires a base verb after “Could”). (B) give is a Meaning Trap (in some languages you “give help”, but in English you “do a favor”).
11 (C) doing
- Why it is correct: “Do the cooking” refers to the general responsibility of preparing meals. A gerund (-ing) is required after the preposition “of”.
- Error Analysis: (A) making is a Common Mistake. (B) do is a Structural Error (missing the -ing form). (D) preparing is a Meaning Trap (you prepare meals, but you “do the cooking”).
12 (A) do
- Why it is correct: “Do nothing” is used for general, non-specific activities.
- Error Analysis: (C) make is a Common Mistake. (B) doing is a Structural Error. (D) have is a Meaning Trap (“have nothing” means owning zero possessions, which doesn’t fit the context of resting).
13 (D) make
- Why it is correct: “Make dinner”. You are actively combining ingredients to produce or create a new meal.
- Error Analysis: (A) do is a Common Mistake. (C) makes is a Structural Error (requires a base verb after “to”). (B) build is a Meaning Trap (you build a house, not a dinner).
14 (A) do
- Why it is correct: “Do a good job” is a fixed phrase meaning to perform a task well.
- Error Analysis: (C) make is a Common Mistake. (B) doing is a Structural Error. (D) work is a Meaning Trap (literal translation error from other languages).
15 (B) made
- Why it is correct: “Make a decision”. The thought process results in a conclusion (a product of the mind). Past tense is needed due to “finally”.
- Error Analysis: (A) did is a Common Mistake. (D) make is a Structural Error (wrong tense). (C) found is a Meaning Trap (“find a decision” is incorrect English).
16 (A) make
- Why it is correct: “Make a fuss” is a B1/B2 idiom meaning to complain or create unnecessary excitement/anger.
- Error Analysis: (D) do is a Common Mistake. (B) making is a Structural Error. (C) scream is a Meaning Trap (you can scream, but the idiom is exclusively “make a fuss”).
17 (A) done
- Why it is correct: “Do wonders for” is an idiom meaning to have a highly beneficial effect.
- Error Analysis: (B) made is a Common Mistake. (C) doing is a Structural Error. (D) created is a Meaning Trap (“wonders” implies creation, but the idiom strictly uses “do”).
18 (C) make
- Why it is correct: “Make time” means to proactively clear your schedule or create free time for something.
- Error Analysis: (B) do is a Common Mistake. (D) makes is a Structural Error. (A) find is a Strong Distractor. While “find time” is grammatically correct, “make time” emphasizes the active effort required, which perfectly fits the context of someone overwhelmed by chores.
19 (B) do
- Why it is correct: “Do one’s best” means to try as hard as possible.
- Error Analysis: (A) make is a Common Mistake. (D) doing is a Structural Error. (C) give is a Meaning Trap (you can “give it your best shot”, but with just “my best”, you must use “do”).
20 (A) do
- Why it is correct: “Do without” is a phrasal verb meaning to manage or survive without something.
- Error Analysis: (C) make is a Common Mistake. (D) doing is a Structural Error. (B) live is a Meaning Trap (“live without” works, but “do without” is the precise B1/B2 vocabulary item tested here for managing a difficult situation).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
The Golden Rule of “Make vs. Do” in Household Chores:
- Use “DO” for Tasks & Processes:
- The Rule: Use “do” when you perform repetitive tasks, duties, or obligations. These actions involve maintenance or cleaning, but they do not produce a new physical object.
- Examples: do the housework, do the laundry, do the dishes, do the ironing, do the dusting.
- Extension: Use “do” for general activities (do nothing, do your best, do someone a favor).
- Use “MAKE” for Creation & Products:
- The Rule: Use “make” when you start from scratch to build, construct, or create something new (whether visible or abstract).
- Kitchen Examples: make dinner, make a cake, make a cup of coffee. (You combine ingredients to produce a meal).
- Abstract Examples: make a decision, make a mess, make time, make a fuss.
- The “Lethal” Exception in Chores:
- Make the bed: Even though it is a morning chore, native speakers use “make” because you are taking messy, chaotic blankets and “creating” a neat, structured arrangement. Never say “do the bed”.