Phrasal verbs, idioms and other expressions using 'make'

Exercise 1: Complete the phrasal verbs in bold with an appropriate particle or particles (in,
up, out, etc). The situation is explained in italics at the end of each sentence.
1. It's getting late. Why don't you stay? I'll make _____ a bed for you. (The speaker is offering to prepare
something – in this case a bed – for a friend)

2. Oh no! Someone has made _____ _____ my mobile phone. (Someone has stolen the speaker's mobile
phone)

3. You haven't spoken to each other for days. I think it's time you both made _____. (The speaker thinks
that two people should become friendly with each other again after an argument)

4. Can you make _____ the house in the dark? (Two people are trying to find their way to a friend's house in
the countryside at night. Because it is dark, they are finding it difficult to see the house)

5. The car costs £2000. I'm paying £1500, and Sally is making _____ the rest. (Sally is making something
– in this case a payment – complete: she is paying the other £500)

6. He made _____ that he had won the lottery. (Someone pretended that something was true when it
wasn't)

7. I can't make _____ why he didn't come to the party. (The speaker is puzzled about a friend's absence
from a party)

8. He made _____ some excuse about the dog eating his homework. (Someone has invented an
explanation for something, probably to avoid being punished or embarrassed)

9. He made _____ the property to his daughter last week. (Someone has officially made someone else the
owner of a building or piece of land)

10. It's getting late. I should make _____ home. (The speaker thinks she should move towards a place, in this
case her home)

11. When he saw the police coming, he made _____ as quickly as possible. (Someone saw the police
coming and left quickly)

12. Before I begin work, I should make _____ a list of all the things I need to do. (The speaker is going to
write a list of things he needs to do)

13. What do you make _____ our new teacher? (The speaker is asking for someone's opinion about their
teacher)

14. The wonderful hotel we stayed at made _____ _____ the terrible weather we had all through the
holiday. (The speaker's hotel was so good that the terrible weather didn't matter so much)

15. I'm sorry I forgot your birthday. I'll make it _____ _____ you, I promise. (After doing something bad,
the speaker promises to do something good in order to make someone feel better)

Exercise 2: Some of the words in the following expressions that use make have been
replaced with symbols. Each symbol represents a letter of the alphabet. Change these
symbols back into letters to make words. The first two have been done for you.
1. Today is make ☺ day for the company. (Very important, resulting in success or
failure)
Answer: ☺ = or break: Today is make or break day for the company.

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