Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and

take
This appendix lists collocations of the verbs make, do, take, and have.

In many of these usages the verbs are "light verbs" that lend relatively little semantic content. Other light verbs include: give, pay,
put, raise, offer.

For people who are learning English, or even who speak it moderately well, these four verbs present difficulties when it comes to
many collocations. For example, what about the shopping? Is it do the shopping, or make the shopping? How about photograph (see
picture)? Do a photograph or make a photograph? Neither! You should take a photograph... and so on. This appendix is an attempt
to clear up some of the most common doubts and errors.

This is not a definitive list. The intention is orientative. All the following nouns and expressions can, of course, take other verbs. The
four options do, make, take, have are in the sense of doing the activity. Have, for instance, normally indicates possession, but that is
not the sense of the verb as used in each of the collocations listed in this table.oThave a bath, for example, does NOT normally mean
to possess a bath. In each case, the idea of the verb is todo the activity.

Readers of this appendix are strongly recommended to read the main entry for the noun or expression to check for correct usage and
meaning.

Contributors are encouraged to place Usage notes into this appendix similarly
, and also into the collocate's main entry, such as:

We normally do the shopping.

We normally make or take a (tele)phone call.

...and so on, along with the Appendix: link to this page.

Contents
Collocations
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
W
General differences among English light verbs
make
take
do
have
get
hold
give
pay
put
raise
offer
set

Collocations

do make take have notes

To take action means to act positively and decisively to resolve a
take action
problem. (light)
take
advantage, To take advantage of something or someone means toprofit from
have an
take the momentary situation of the person or thing. o
T have an
advantage
advantage advantage means to be in a better position than someone else.
of
make
To make amends means to compensate for aloss or injury.
amends
To make an application means to apply for something. Usually a
make an take an job, or a bank account, etc.(light). To take an application from
application application someone means to allow someone to apply to you or to a party
whom you are representing.
To make an appointment means to organise a meeting with other
make an have an
people. To have an appointment means you are to participate in
appointment appointment
a meeting with other people.
To have an argument with someone means toargue with that
make an have an
person. (light) To make an argument for something means to
argument argument
present a logical argument in its favor.
make
To make arrangements means to organise or arrange. (light)
arrangements
make an
To make an attempt means to try, to attempt. (light)
attempt

B
 do make take have notes
To make a baby is, informally, to engage in sexual
make a baby have a baby intercourse, leading to impregnation. T
o have a baby is to
give birth, to produce a child.
take a To take or have a bath is to bathe. (light) To make a bath is to
make a bath have a bath
bath prepare a bath to the right temperature.
make the To make the or one's bed is to arrange its sheets and covers
bed, make nicely and rectify any disorder that was caused by sleeping in
one's bed it.
If you do your best, it means you have acted correctly and
do one's that no-one can expect more from you. T o make the best of a
make the have the
best, situation means to take as much advantage as possible from
best of best
best a bad situation. See take advantage. To have the best is to
be in possession of the best of something.
To make a bid means to bid, to make a monetary or
take economic offer. (light) To take bids is to solicit offers from
make a bid
bids several competitors, with the intention of accepting the best
bid.
take a To take a bite means to bite. (light) To take a bite and to have
have a bite
bite a bite both mean to eat a quick, lightsnack.
take a To make a bow means to bow. (light) To take a bow means to
make a bow
bow bow (light) or to accept applause.See take a bow.
To make a break means to try to escape, to break. (light) To
make a take a take and have a break means to rest from work for a short
have a break
break break while, to break. (light) To have a break (more often get a
break) also means to be lucky.
To make a breakthrough means to make an important
make a have a
discovery. To have a breakthrough means to realize
breakthrough breakthrough
something about oneself.
To do business means to agree a commercial contract. To
have business with someone means to have matters to be
do make take have
settled with that person. To take business is to deprive a
business business business business
competitor of a customer by acquiring that customer . To
make business is to create a business opportunity

C
do make take have notes
To make a cancellation means to contact the person you have an
appointment with and to be the person who cancels it.
make a have a To have a cancellation means that a person who had an
cancellation cancellation appointment with you told you they would not make the
appointment.

To take care means to to be careful. To take care of someone or

take something means to look after it. See also take care.
care,
have a care To have a care means to be careful because you are upsetting
take care
of someone.

make To make certain of something means to check that something is

certain correct. See also make sure.
take a
chance, have a To take a chance means to try somethingrisky. See take a chance.
take chance To have a chance means to have some possibility of success.
chances
To make a charge for something means to request money for an
make a take
item or service; it can also mean to make an accusation. oT take
charge charge
charge of something is to assume authority over it.
To make a claim is usually applied to legal court cases where
make a take a
damages and retribution payments are claimed from the accused.
claim claim
To take a claim is to have someone submit a claim to you
have a One takes a class for a semester or year or the like; tohave (a)
take a
class, have class refers to a single class session. (Note thatto have class can
class
class also mean "to be classy, sophisticated".)
To make a complaint means to complain about bad service or faulty
make a take a
goods (light). To take a complaint means to have someonesubmit a
complaint complaint
complaint to you.
To make a concession means to concede, to yield to, or grant a
make a
request even though it is not in agreement with the normal rules.
concession
(light)
make
To make contact with someone means to establish communication
contact
with them or contact them. (light)
(with)
To make conversation means to start a conversation with someone
make have a
with no other aim than to talk and break the silence. oT have a
conversation conversation
conversation means to converse. (light)

D
 do make take have notes
do a To do (UK) or make (both US and UK) a deal means to make a
make a deal
deal contract with someone.
To make or take a decision is to decide. (light)
make a take a
decision decision Make is about 50 times more common in the US; 7 times in the UK.

make
To make demands on someone means to give them a lot of work to
demands
do or to impose a burden on them.
on
make a
difference
make a
To make a discovery is to discover something. (light)
discovery
do the
To do the dishes is to wash dirty dishes,cutlery and so on by hand.
dishes
take a
To take a dump is to defecate (vulgar slang).
dump

do make take have notes

make an take (a lot To make or put forth an effort is to try. An activity takes a lot of
effort of) effort effort when it is very difficult to do, or is strenuous.
make an
To make an enquiry means to ask or inquire. (light)
enquiry
make an
To make or commit an error is to err. (light)
error
When students take, complete, sit for (UK), or sit (UK) an exam,
have test, or quiz, they are tested to demonstrate knowledge or
take an
an competency; educators(UK) set or (US) write it (create it for
exam
exam students to take) and then(US) give it (have the students
complete it). To have an exam is to be given it.
To make an example of someone is to punish someone to
make an
disuade others from repeating theoffense. See make an example
example of
of
take To make an exception is to grant a request even though it is not in
make an exception, agreement with the normal rules. To make an exception foris to
exception take except. (light) See also make a concession. To take exception to
(for) exception something means to be offended by something, usually
to something that is said. See alsotake exception.
make an To make an excuse means to excuse, to justify or explain the
have
excuse, reason for an incorrect action. (light) To have an excuse means to
an
make have a good reason for an incorrect action, whether it is stated or
excuse
excuses not.
do some To take (some) exercise means to exercise the body. (light) Do
exercise, take needs a quantifier. To do some or an exercise means to exercise
do some exercise the body. To do an exercise can also mean to resolve a problem
exercises set in a class.
To experiment Generally, one does an experiment in a laboratory,
do an make an
and one makes an experiment when one tries out an idea to see
experiment experiment
if it works. (light)
F

do make take have notes

do a (UK)
To do a favour means to help someone with no thought of
favour, (US)
reward or payment.
favor
make a fortune To make a fortune means to amass wealth.
make a friend; To make friends is to strike up or start a new friendship or
make friends with become friends.
have To make fun of something or someone is tomock or
make fun of
fun belittle them. To have fun is to enjoy oneself.

do make take have notes

do
make To do good or do some good means to do somethingconstructive or helpful. To
(some)
good make good has a number of meanings, including to put right.
good
To have a grudge is to maintain a negative feeling against someone or
have a
something because of a previous wrong against oneself by that someone or
grudge
something.

do make take have notes

do
To do harm or some harm means to harm, to do something destructive,
(some)
or hurtful, or unhelpful. (light)
harm
make
To make headway means to progress in the desired direction.
headway
have a
To make a heart is to create the shape of a heart. T
o take heart is to be
make a take heart,
cheered up. To have a heart is to be generous. To have heart is to be
heart heart have
courageous or persistent.
heart
take
Means to keep, or retain a person or group of people until a specific
someone
demand is met.
hostage

do make take have notes

make an inquiry To make an inquiry means to ask, to inquire. (light)
make an investment To make an investment means to invest time or money. (light)

L
do make take have notes
have
make
a To have a laugh is to laugh (light), or to enjoy laughing with friends. To make
someone
(good) someone laugh is to do or say something thatcauses that person to laugh.
laugh
laugh
take have To take the lead /li:d/ means to be the leader, or to demonstrate the correct way to
the a/the do something. Also to gain the lead position in a competition.(light) To have a
lead lead lead means to have the lead position.(light)
make a
To make a list means to write a list.
list
take
have
a To take or have a look at something means tolook at it (with purpose). (light)
a look
look
take
make a
a To make or take a loss means to lose money on an investment or a bet.
loss
loss

do make take have notes

To make a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc) means to prepare the food for
make a
take have that meal. To make a meal of means to spend more time and energy on
meal,
a a some task than it warrants. To take a meal and to have a meal mean to eat
make a
meal meal the food. (Note: do lunch with someoneor have a working lunch means to
meal of
eat lunch with someone while working at the same time.)
make
(a) To make (a) mention of something is to mention it, to say it or talk about it
mention briefly. (light)
of
do the
To do the messages is to do the shopping, to buy groceries.
messages
make a
To make a mistake is to err.
mistake
make a
To make a mockery of something or someone is tomock or belittle them.
mockery
(light)
of
make a
to make a model means to fabricate or build a model structure. To make a
model
model of {something} means tomodel it, to build a model of it.(light)
(of)
make
to make money means to gainmonetary income.
money

N
 do make take have notes
take a have a
to take or have a nap means to nap, sleep for a short while.(light)
nap nap
make a
To make a noise is the act of creating a sound that can be heard
noise
make take To make or take notes is to write the notes, usually to record on paper
notes notes what someone is saying.
make take note
To make note or to take note is to note or notice (something).
note (of) (of)
do a take a To do a number is to perform an act, usually a song; totake a number
number number is to take a position in aqueue.

do make take have notes

do an
To do an operation means to operate medically on someone.
operation make an
To make an operation means to conclude a business
on operation
transaction.
someone
To take an opportunity means to the same astake advantage
make an take an have an of a situation. To make an opportunity means to arrange things
opportunity opportunity opportunity to your advantage. To have an opportunity means to be at the
right place at the right time to do something advantageous.

do make take have notes

have
To have a party is to organise an informalevent with friends, or to enjoy
a
oneself.
party
make a take a To make a telephone call is to call another person, totake a telephone call
(tele)phone (tele)phone is to receive a call, to be called. To have a telephone call is to participate in
call call a phone call, without reference to who made the phone call.
take a
To take a picture means to capture an image using aphotographic camera.
picture
have
make a To make a plan is to develop an idea, tohave a plan is possess, generally
a
plan in one's mind, an idea that is ready.
plan
make a
To make a point means to state a logicalargument. To have a point means
point, take have
to have a valid argument. To take someone's point means to accept
make a someone's a
someone's argument. To make a point of doing somethingmeans to be
point of point point
sure of not forgetting to do it.
doing s/t
make
To make progress is to advance.
progress
make a take To make a promise to someone is toaffirm, or vow, to do something
promise to someone's without fail. To take someone's promise means toaccept at their word that
someone promise they will keep their promise and act accordingly
.

R
 do make take have notes
do To do research is to try to discover something new by doing experiments. Also it
research means to discover information by checking through factual books and magazines.
take have
a a To take or have a rest is to rest, or to stop doing something.
rest rest

do make take have notes

To make sense means to communicate clearly and
make
understandably. To make sense of something means to
sense (of)
understand it. To have sense means to be sensible.
To do the shopping means to go to the local shops to buy
do the
household needs such as food, clothes, cleaning things, and so
shopping
on.
make a To make a stop means to take a break in the middle of a
stop journey.
have store To have store of means to store something or to have
of something in storage.
take a have a To take or have a shower means to wash one's body under a
shower shower shower to get clean.
To make a suggestion means to present an idea to another
take person or group for their consideration. T
o take someone's
make a have a
someone's suggestion means to accept the idea they have presented. oT
suggestion suggestion
suggestion have a suggestion means to have an idea to present. In the
past tense it can mean the same asmade a suggestion.

do make take have notes

do
have a To have a talk with someone means tospeak with them seriously. To do a talk
a
talk means to give an oral presentation or lecture
talk
make take have To make tea (or coffee, etc) is to prepare the drink. To take tea and to have tea
tea tea tea both mean to drink some tea (or coffee, etc).
do
take a have a To do a test is the same as to do an experiment. Fortake and have, see the
a
test test notes for exam.
test
To do time means to be a prisoner in prison. To make time for an activity means
take to arrange one's agenda so that there is enough time to do that activity. If
do make have
(one's) something takes time it means it is not quick to do. To take one's time means to
time time time
time be slow and careful in doing something. If onehas time it means one does not
need to make time to do an activity.
To make trouble means to cause or provoke problems for other people. To take
make take have
trouble means to be meticulous or careful in how one does an activity. To have
trouble trouble trouble
trouble means to suffer from errors or problems.

W
 do make take have notes
do the
To do the washing-up means to wash the dirty plates, dishes,cutlery, and so
washing-
on after a meal.
up
If you do well, it means you have acted correctly and the best you can, or that
do well
you are prospering. See alsodo one's best.
make
If you make a wish, it means you express, often silently, a desire for some
a
particular outcome.
wish
have
words To have a word or words with someone is to tell them off or to argue with
/a them.
word
If you do some work, you are working. You make work (for someone else, or
do (some) make have
for yourself) when yourefforts are counterproductive. To have work is to be
work work work
employed, or to have tasks that require completion.
do
homework,
Most derivations of work collocate with do.
housework
etc.

General differences among English light verbs

make
In light-verb constructions "make" implies an active role by the subject, who causes something new to occur or come into existence
from pre-existing material or a pre-existing situation or the normal course of events.

take
"Take" implies an active role by the subject, but no change in the object except for its ownership.

do
"Do" implies that the subject is active, but fitting into a pre-existing role. In addition do is often used when someone performs an
action, activity or task.

have
"Have" implies a greater degree of passivity and no causation.

get
When used with a participle, it implies a change from astate without the action of theverb to a state with it. For the present participle
that means starting to do the (intransitive, continuous) action of the verb. For the past participle that means receiving the action of the
verb.

When used with an infinitive, it means that one is allowed to perform the action of the verb, or toassume the state of a stative verb.

When have is followed by got and an infinitive, it means that one must perform the action of the verb, or to assume the state of a
stative verb. In other words, it's exactly equivalent to have and the infinitive. In informal, proscribed usage, the word have is left out
in the present tense. In such cases, the only way to tell this from the past tense of the get-and-infinitive construction above is through
the context.

hold

give
"Give" implies a degree of activity by the subject, but also the involvement of a recipient.

pay

put

raise

offer

set

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