Learn 20 collocations with ‘make.’
In this advanced English lesson, you will learn useful collocations with ‘make’ and will never confuse ‘make’ with ‘do’.
Learn 20 English collocations to enhance your English speaking and writing skills and become a confident speaker.
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LIst of English collocations
20 Collocations with make
Harry
I’m going to focus solely on ‘make’ to avoid any confusion. So, all of these expressions involve ‘make,’ but they are not the most common ones, as many of those are quite straightforward.
I won’t be discussing making breakfast or making your bed, which are simple examples, like making breakfast every morning or making your bed when you get up before heading to work.
Instead, I’m going to look into slightly more complex expressions or ones you may not have used before, but you can certainly give them a try. I have a list of 20 collocations with make for you.
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Many students confuse “make” and “do”. What do we make and what do we do? Let me just give you a quick note about that.
use ‘make’
when you create or produce something
Examples:
My mother made a cake yesterday.
This tablecloth is made of linen.
BMW cars are made in Germany.
use ‘do’
when you perform an action or a task
Examples:
I need to do my homework.
He does his daily exercise routine.
Can you do the dishes, please?
So I’m going to give you 20 collocations with ‘make’. I will look at the ones that are a little bit more complicated. Let’s start:
make a deal
Meaning: to agree on or arrange an agreement (usually in a business or negotiation context)
Examples:
Tom went to the dealership, hoping to make a deal on a used car that would fit their budget.
After months of searching, they finally made a deal on their dream house.
make a deadline
Meaning: to complete a task or project within the specified time limit
Examples:
John and Lisa worked hard to make the deadline for finishing their house redecoration.
We need to work harder this week to ensure we make that deadline by the end of the month.
make a fool of yourself
Meaning: to behave in a way that embarrasses or humiliates you
Examples:
At the party last night, John got terribly drunk and fell on the dance floor, making a fool of himself in front of everyone.
Sarah accidentally said something highly inappropriate, making a fool of herself in front of her colleagues.
make a fortune
Meaning: to become very wealthy or earn a significant amount of money
Examples:
Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook and made a fortune as the social media platform’s success grew.
John inherited a substantial sum of money from his elderly aunt and made a fortune.
20 Collocations with make
make a fuss
Meaning: (of sb or over sth) to show a lot of attention, care or get very excited or worried about sth
Example:
On his 80th birthday, the family gathered to make a fuss of Grandad with a cake and lots of love.
Susan adores her dog Rover and always makes a fuss, giving him treats and petting him.
Oh, great. It would be lovely to see you and the kids again. But please don’t make a fuss.
make a mess
Meaning: to create disorder or untidiness in an area or situation
Examples:
When I opened the door to Josh’s room, I was shocked to see that he had made a mess.
You can play upstairs in the attic room, but promise me not to make a mess.
make a mistake
Meaning: to do something incorrectly or inaccurately
Examples:
Oops, I made a mistake. I have to erase this and start again.
Harry made a mistake when he booked his flight, arriving at the airport on the wrong date.
make a point
Meaning: to express or highlight something important or meaningful in a conversation or discussion
Examples:
Excuse me, I’d like to make a point here.
Oh, that was a good point he made yesterday.
Meaning: (of something) to deliberately pay attention to or emphasise a particular thing or action
Example:
Ok, I’ll make a point of calling her. And I’ll call round and bring cake and flowers.
make a promise
Meaning: to say you will definitely do something in the future
Examples:
We make promises, but sometimes we do not keep them.
Parents often make promises to their children, such as buying them a new toy for their birthday.
Make a promise to yourself to stop eating sweets and start eating healthily.
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make friends
Meaning: to meet and become friendly with other people
Examples:
In the first week of school, Adam made friends with Sarah and Mark, and he settled in well.
He made friends when he started university and enjoyed those friendships throughout his college years.
make fun
Meaning: (of somebody) to tease or mock someone in a way that might embarrass them
Example:
Samantha felt awful when she overheard Jessica and Emily making fun of her at school.
Meaning: to create an atmosphere or engage in activities that are enjoyable
Examples:
At the swimming pool, we always find a way to make fun, whether it’s playing water games or racing down the slide.
You can make your own fun by playing board games, building with Lego, or simply using a cardboard box.
make do
Meaning: to manage or cope with the resources or things that are available, even if they are not ideal
Examples:
No, I really don’t want takeaway. It’s so unhealthy. I’ll make do with what we have in the fridge.
There is enough here. I’ll make do with what I have here and come up with some recipes.
make a living
Meaning: to earn the money needed to support oneself and cover expenses, such as housing, food, and other necessities
Examples:
How do you make a living?
I would like to make a decent living. I’d like a job that will allow me to buy my own home.
It’s a really interesting job, but will you make a living?
make yourself heard/known/understood
Meaning: to ensure that others notice you, recognise you or understand what you’re saying
Examples:
You might have to speak up a little more loudly to make yourself heard.
Perhaps you’ll have to speak up a little more intellectually to make yourself heard.
When teaching English, you need to speak more slowly to make yourself understood.
He made himself known by scoring the school football team’s winning goal.
He made himself known by achieving the highest sales in the department for two consecutive months.
make sense
Meaning: something is understandable or logical
Examples:
Come on, you’re not making sense. What happened? Take a deep breath and tell me slowly.
This just doesn’t make any sense at all. This is all over the place!
20 Collocations with make
make someone’s day
Meaning: to do something or say something that brings happiness, joy, or a positive feeling to someone
Examples:
All the presents and having my friends around on my birthday truly made my day.
Her husband’s thoughtful gift on their anniversary really made her day.
make time
Meaning: to set aside or create a period in your schedule for a specific activity or person
Examples:
In her busy schedule, she always tries to make time to spend with her son.
Please send me the file. I’ll make time somehow, and I’ll get it done.
make believe
Meaning: pretending or imagining things that are not real
Examples:
Emily loves to make believe she’s a superhero, wearing a cape and saving imaginary worlds.
At the costume party, Sarah decided to make believe she was a famous movie star.
make or break
Meaning: a critical moment that will either lead to success or failure, with no middle ground in between
Examples:
The next few months will make or break us. If we don’t secure those new customers, our business could be seriously affected.
It’s time for us to make or break it. We need to put in every effort we can to get those invoices paid.
makes two of us
Meaning: “I feel the same way” or “I am in the same situation.”
Examples:
Ha, that makes two of us! I feel exactly the same way. It’s been a long, long year.
When you said you were tired, it makes two of us. I had a long day too.
Okay, so there are 20 collocations with ‘make.’ Students often confuse ‘make’ and ‘do,’ so here, we’re discussing making concrete things. I’ve provided you with a list of them. Some of these may seem a bit unusual, and you might not have heard them before.
Practice them, listen to my examples, and try to come up with your own. If you encounter any difficulties and need more help, as I mentioned earlier, you can find me at www.englishlessonviaskype.com.
I’m very happy to hear from you and assist you. I truly appreciate you listening and watching and the comments you send my way. This is Harry saying goodbye for this particular lesson. Please join me again soon.
speak better English with Harry podcast- episode 448
more information
For more information on English grammar rules, English collocations and English idioms, check out the links below:
Intermediate English travel vocabulary
English vocabulary related to driving
You can always study English advanced level at Learning English with the BBC and British Council Learn English.
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