English grammar
Made or did? (make / do)
Say what you or someone made or did.
From the scene I made a hundred photocopies
In short
Use make for creating something, like a phone call. Use do for activity in general: she did nothing.
Your turn
Which one goes with make a call?
Options: she made a phone call (not "did a call") · I made a hundred photocopies · you did all that?
Show answer
make a call → she made a phone call (not "did a call")
How it works
Make and do are both irregular in the past. Make → made is for creating something: made photocopies, made a phone call (not "did a call").
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Yes, me. The boss (blank) nothing.
Options: did · didn't · done
Show answer
Yes, me. The boss did nothing.
Sí, yo. La jefa no hizo nada.
Good to know
Do → did is for activity in general: did nothing, did all that.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Well, she (blank) one phone call. And she changed one thing.
Options: did · maked · made
Show answer
Well, she made one phone call. And she changed one thing.
Bueno, hizo una llamada. Y cambió una cosa.
Good to know
Use only one negative: "she did nothing" or "she didn't do anything" — never "she didn't nothing".
make → made I made a hundred photocopies
Nuria
Bad. I made a hundred photocopies.
Mal. Hice cien fotocopias.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Bad. (blank).
Options: You did all that · I made a hundred photocopies · She made a phone call
Show answer
Nuria
Bad. I made a hundred photocopies.
Mal. Hice cien fotocopias.
make a call she made a phone call (not "did a call")
Your turn
What goes with she made a phone call (not "did a call")?
Options: make a call · make → made · do → did
Show answer
she made a phone call (not "did a call") → make a call
do → did you did all that?
Javi
A hundred? You did all that?
¿Cien? ¿Tú hiciste todo eso?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
A hundred? (blank)?
Options: She made a phone call · You did all that · I made a hundred photocopies
Show answer
Javi
A hundred? You did all that?
¿Cien? ¿Tú hiciste todo eso?
one negative only she did nothing (not "didn't nothing")
Your turn
What goes with she did nothing (not "didn't nothing")?
Options: make a call · one negative only · make → made
Show answer
she did nothing (not "didn't nothing") → one negative only
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| make → made | I made a hundred photocopies |
|---|---|
| make a call | she made a phone call (not "did a call") |
| do → did | you did all that? |
| one negative only | she did nothing (not "didn't nothing") |
More lines from the story
- NuriaYes, me. The boss did nothing.Sí, yo. La jefa no hizo nada.
- NuriaWell, she made one phone call. And she changed one thing.Bueno, hizo una llamada. Y cambió una cosa.
- NuriaThe photocopies are of my idea. She changed the name.Las fotocopias son de mi idea. Cambió el nombre.
- JaviNuria, I only made one... of your CV!Nuria, yo hice solo una... ¡de tu currículum!