Make vs. Do – English Grammar Exercises for B1
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence. Read the conversation carefully, as all questions are part of a continuous phone call between a patient and a dental clinic receptionist.
1 Hello, I am calling because I desperately need to ______ an appointment with Dr. Davis for a tooth extraction.
(a) form
(b) make
(c) do
(d) to make
2 The pain in my lower jaw is terrible, and it is ______ a lot of damage to my gums.
(a) producing
(b) making
(c) done
(d) doing
3 That is exactly why I had to ______ a quick phone call to your clinic this morning.
(a) speak
(b) do
(c) make
(d) making
4 The receptionist replied, “I can help with that. Could you ______ me a favor and spell your last name?”
(a) do
(b) give
(c) make
(d) to do
5 I answered, “Of course, I always ______ my best to provide clear information.”
(a) trying
(b) make
(c) do
(d) does
6 “Please hold the line while I ______ sure the dentist is available this afternoon,” she said.
(a) make
(b) keep
(c) doing
(d) do
7 If you come in today, you will have to ______ some essential paperwork in the waiting room.
(a) write
(b) do
(c) make
(d) doing
8 “I have no problem with that, but I must ______ a specific request for a strong local anesthetic,” I stated.
(a) ask
(b) do
(c) make
(d) to make
9 If we wait until next week, the spreading infection will definitely ______ more harm than good.
(a) do
(b) bring
(c) make
(d) doing
10 She sighed, “We are heavily booked, but we are ______ everything we can to fit you into the schedule.”
(a) doing
(b) trying
(c) making
(d) do
11 I really don’t want to ______ a fuss, but the toothache is becoming absolutely unbearable.
(a) do
(b) to make
(c) make
(d) throw
12 Is there any possibility that the doctor could ______ an exception and see me during his lunch hour?
(a) give
(b) do
(c) makes
(d) make
13 “He rarely skips his break, but he will always ______ his duty if a patient is in an emergency,” she assured me.
(a) do
(b) commit
(c) make
(d) doing
14 You will need to ______ a firm decision right now so I can lock in this 1:00 PM cancellation slot.
(a) take
(b) do
(c) making
(d) make
15 “I’ll take it,” I said. “I promise to ______ an effort to arrive twenty minutes early.”
(a) make
(b) put
(c) do
(d) made
16 Please remember that our clinic doesn’t ______ business directly with third-party insurance, so you must pay upfront.
(a) deal
(b) doing
(c) do
(d) make
17 You should also ______ arrangements for someone to drive you home after the surgery.
(a) prepare
(b) make
(c) to make
(d) do
18 Taking a mild painkiller now might ______ a slight difference in your pain levels while you wait.
(a) create
(b) do
(c) make
(d) making
19 I thanked her and said, “You have ______ a wonderful job helping me today.”
(a) done
(b) achieved
(c) do
(d) made
20 She replied, “You’re welcome! Getting that bad tooth out will absolutely ______ wonders for your comfort.”
(a) bring
(b) make
(c) doing
(d) do
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (b) make
- Why it is correct: “Make an appointment” is the standard English collocation. You are creating a new time slot on the schedule that did not exist before.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “do” is a Common Mistake. (d) “to make” is a Structural Error (we use the bare infinitive after “need to”, so adding another “to” is wrong). (a) “form” is a Meaning Trap (you can form a group, but not an appointment).
2 (d) doing
- Why it is correct: “Do damage” refers to the negative effect or impact caused by an action or condition.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “making” is a Common Mistake. (c) “done” is a Structural Error (requires Present Participle “doing” for Present Continuous). (a) “producing” is a Meaning Trap.
3 (c) make
- Why it is correct: You “make a phone call” because you are initiating and producing the communication.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “do” is a Common Mistake. (d) “making” is a Structural Error after “had to”. (a) “speak” is a Meaning Trap (you speak on the phone, but you make a phone call).
4 (a) do
- Why it is correct: “Do someone a favor” is a fixed phrase meaning to perform a helpful act for someone.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “make” is a Common Mistake. (d) “to do” is a Structural Error after the modal “Could”. (b) “give” is a Meaning Trap.
5 (c) do
- Why it is correct: “Do your best” means to perform with maximum effort.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “make” is a Common Mistake. (d) “does” is a Structural Error (I + do). (a) “trying” is a Meaning Trap (you “try your best”, but grammatically it would need to be “try”, not “trying”).
6 (a) make
- Why it is correct: “Make sure” is an idiom meaning to confirm or establish that something is true.
- Distractor Analysis: (d) “do” is a Common Mistake. (c) “doing” is a Structural Error. (b) “keep” is a Meaning Trap (“keep sure” does not exist).
7 (b) do
- Why it is correct: We “do paperwork” because it is a routine task or administrative activity.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “make” is a Common Mistake. (d) “doing” is a Structural Error after “have to”. (a) “write” is a Meaning Trap (you fill out or do paperwork, but “write paperwork” sounds unnatural).
8 (c) make
- Why it is correct: We “make a request” because we are producing or generating a formal question.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “do” is a Common Mistake. (d) “to make” is a Structural Error after the modal “must”. (a) “ask” is a Meaning Trap (“ask a request” is redundant; you ask a question or make a request).
9 (a) do
- Why it is correct: “Do harm” is a standard collocation referring to causing negative effects.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “make” is a Common Mistake. (d) “doing” is a Structural Error after “will definitely”. (b) “bring” is a Meaning Trap.
10 (a) doing
- Why it is correct: “Do everything” refers to performing all possible non-specific actions.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “making” is a Common Mistake. (d) “do” is a Structural Error (needs Present Participle for Present Continuous). (b) “trying” is a Meaning Trap (you try to do everything, but “trying everything” in this context is less natural than “doing everything we can”).
11 (c) make
- Why it is correct: “Make a fuss” means to create an unnecessary complaint or display of emotion.
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “do” is a Common Mistake. (b) “to make” is a Structural Error (the “to” is already before the gap). (d) “throw” is a Meaning Trap.
12 (d) make
- Why it is correct: We “make an exception” because we are actively creating a special condition outside the normal rules.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “do” is a Common Mistake. (c) “makes” is a Structural Error after the modal “could”. (a) “give” is a Meaning Trap.
13 (a) do
- Why it is correct: “Do one’s duty” means to perform one’s moral or professional obligations.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “make” is a Common Mistake. (d) “doing” is a Structural Error after “will”. (b) “commit” is a Meaning Trap.
14 (d) make
- Why it is correct: “Make a decision” is a fixed collocation representing the creation of a choice.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “do” is a Common Mistake. (c) “making” is a Structural Error after “need to”. (a) “take” is a Meaning Trap.
15 (a) make
- Why it is correct: We “make an effort”, meaning we produce the energy required to achieve a goal.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “do” is a Common Mistake. (d) “made” is a Structural Error after “promise to”. (b) “put” is a Meaning Trap.
16 (c) do
- Why it is correct: “Do business” refers to the continuous activity of professional trading or dealing.
- Distractor Analysis: (d) “make” is a Common Mistake. (b) “doing” is a Structural Error after “doesn’t”. (a) “deal” is a Meaning Trap.
17 (b) make
- Why it is correct: “Make arrangements” means to produce a plan or organize an event.
- Distractor Analysis: (d) “do” is a Common Mistake. (c) “to make” is a Structural Error after the modal “should”. (a) “prepare” is a Meaning Trap (“prepare arrangements” is redundant).
18 (c) make
- Why it is correct: “Make a difference” means to create a significant change or effect.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “do” is a Common Mistake. (d) “making” is a Structural Error after the modal “might”. (a) “create” is a Meaning Trap.
19 (a) done
- Why it is correct: “Do a job” refers to performing a task or providing a service.
- Distractor Analysis: (d) “made” is a Common Mistake. (c) “do” is a Structural Error (requires Past Participle “done” for Present Perfect). (b) “achieved” is a Meaning Trap.
20 (d) do
- Why it is correct: “Do wonders” is an idiom meaning to have a highly beneficial and almost magical effect.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “make” is a Common Mistake. (c) “doing” is a Structural Error after “will absolutely”. (a) “bring” is a Meaning Trap.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 “MAKE” focuses on CREATING something new:
Whenever you call a clinic or a partner to schedule a time, that time slot did not exist for you before. You are actively creating it.
- Core Rule: Use “Make” when you construct, generate, or produce a result.
- Clinic Examples: make an appointment (create a time slot), make a phone call (initiate contact), make a request (generate a question), make sure (establish truth), make a decision (produce a choice).
2 “DO” focuses on PERFORMING an action or dealing with an impact:
You use “do” when you execute a task, fulfill an obligation, or describe the effect of something.
- Core Rule: Use “Do” for activities, duties, paperwork, and the positive/negative impacts of an action.
- Clinic Examples: do paperwork (the task), do someone a favor (the helpful act), do your best / do your duty (the performance), do damage / do harm / do wonders (the impact).