Make or do?

Learn a word not on its own but together with the word next to it: make a decision, do homework. A natural word combination like this is called a collocation.

Do is often about carrying out a task, and make is about creating something. But this is not a rule that settles every phrase. It is easier to remember combinations such as make progress as a whole.

• make a mistake — to get something wrong
• make progress — to improve step by step
• do research — to investigate a subject in order to find facts
• do homework — to complete work given by a teacher

Not suitable: I did a mistake in my essay.

Correction: I made a mistake in my essay.

The problem here is not the past tense: did is also a past tense. The word combination is what has to change.

I do a little homework every day, and I am making progress.

Complete the gaps with make or do.

1. I need to ___ a decision about my course.
2. We usually ___ research before choosing a topic.

Then write a sentence about your own life with one of these two phrases.