Flashcard - Unit 8

Unit 8 – Make and Verbs that Mean Make

Advanced English often uses make in fixed collocations: make a proposal, make a contribution, make an apology, make arrangements, make a discovery, make room, make a habit of, make an offer, make a stand, make several attempts, and make a success of something. In formal and informal English, other verbs can replace make. For example, create an atmosphere, stage a protest, lodge a complaint, rustle up a meal, run up curtains, turn a profit, and coin a phrase. Learners should avoid errors such as using do research but *do a proposal* instead of make a proposal.

Image placeholder: business meeting where a proposal is presented

Register matters. Formal writing often prefers create, lodge, stage, or coin, while everyday speech may use rustle up or run up. Understanding these collocations improves accuracy and naturalness.

Exercises

1. Choose make or do
  1. ___ a proposal
  2. ___ research
  3. ___ a habit of reading
  4. ___ the calculations
  5. ___ an apology
  6. ___ homework
  7. ___ an offer
  8. ___ several attempts
2. Complete the collocation
  1. make a formal ___
  2. make a ___ to the discussion
  3. make room ___ guests
  4. make a ___ of the project
  5. make an early ___
  6. make his ___
  7. make a ___
  8. make enemies ___ colleagues
3. Match
  1. create
  2. stage
  3. lodge
  4. rustle up
  5. run up
  6. turn
  7. coin
  8. make

a profit / a phrase / a complaint / curtains / a meal / a protest / an atmosphere / arrangements

4. Rewrite formally
  1. make a good impression
  2. make a protest
  3. make a complaint
  4. make new words
  5. make money
  6. make a meal quickly
  7. make curtains quickly
  8. make a relaxed mood
5. Error correction
  1. do a proposal
  2. give a complaint
  3. do an apology
  4. make research
  5. do several attempts
  6. give an offer
  7. do room for guests
  8. make homework
6. Sentence creation
  1. make a proposal
  2. make a contribution
  3. make an offer
  4. create an atmosphere
  5. stage a protest
  6. lodge a complaint
  7. turn a profit
  8. coin a phrase

Further Practice

Focus on meaning, register, and accuracy. Decide when make is the best choice and when a more specific verb sounds natural.

Image placeholder: customer lodging a complaint at a service desk
1. Gap fill
  1. She ___ a formal apology.
  2. They ___ a major protest.
  3. We must ___ room for change.
  4. He ___ a profit last year.
  5. They ___ a complaint.
  6. The author ___ a phrase.
  7. I ___ Roger’s acquaintance.
  8. She ___ several attempts.
2. Multiple choice
  1. make/create a complaint
  2. lodge/make curtains
  3. run up/turn a meal
  4. coin/stage a phrase
  5. turn/create a profit
  6. stage/lodge a protest
  7. create/make an atmosphere
  8. make/do a contribution
3. Match beginnings and endings
  1. make a habit
  2. make a stand
  3. make room
  4. make a success
  5. create
  6. turn
  7. run up
  8. rustle up

of it; for visitors; of reading; an atmosphere; a profit; curtains; a meal; against injustice

4. Rewrite using a target collocation
  1. complain formally
  2. earn profit
  3. invent a new expression
  4. prepare food quickly
  5. organise everything
  6. meet someone for the first time
  7. try many times
  8. leave early
5. True or false: natural collocation?
  1. make a proposal
  2. do a proposal
  3. lodge a complaint
  4. make a curtain
  5. turn a profit
  6. coin a phrase
  7. make an offer
  8. do an apology
6. Short answers
  1. When might you stage a protest?
  2. Why make room for guests?
  3. How can a company turn a profit?
  4. Why lodge a complaint?
  5. What phrase would you coin?
  6. How do people make enemies?
  7. How can someone make a contribution?
  8. Why make a stand?

Extended Practice

Use collocations flexibly in realistic contexts. Pay attention to formal versus informal choices.

Image placeholder: community protest creating a strong public impression
1. Complete the sentence
  1. The manager made a …
  2. The scientist made an important …
  3. The team made a success …
  4. The host made all the …
  5. The speaker made some …
  6. The company made improvements …
  7. The guest made an early …
  8. The investor made an …
2. Formal or informal?
  1. rustle up a meal
  2. lodge a complaint
  3. run up curtains
  4. create an atmosphere
  5. stage a protest
  6. turn a profit
  7. coin a phrase
  8. make arrangements
3. Transformation
  1. We complained formally.
  2. They invented a new expression.
  3. She quickly prepared dinner.
  4. The business earned money.
  5. He met her for the first time.
  6. They tried repeatedly.
  7. We organised the event.
  8. She opposed the decision publicly.
4. Find the wrong word
  1. make a proposal
  2. make a complaint
  3. do a contribution
  4. turn a profit
  5. coin a phrase
  6. create an atmosphere
  7. give a stand
  8. make an offer
5. Dialogue completion
  1. apology
  2. proposal
  3. offer
  4. complaint
  5. profit
  6. attempts
  7. atmosphere
  8. arrangements
6. Writing prompts
  1. Describe a formal apology.
  2. Describe a protest.
  3. Describe a profitable business.
  4. Describe a complaint.
  5. Describe a discovery.
  6. Describe a successful project.
  7. Describe meeting a new acquaintance.
  8. Describe making arrangements for a party.
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