Do or make?

When we use do and make with noun phrases, do focuses on the process of acting or performing

something, make emphasises more the product or outcome of an action:
When I was [action]doing the calculations, I [outcome]made two mistakes.
I [action]did some work for her last summer; I [outcome]made a pond in her garden.

Nouns which combine with do

activity damage favour job task

busines gardenin
drawing laundry test
s g

cleanin one’s
duty harm washing (up)
g best

homewor
cooking exam(ination) painting work
k

course exercise ironing shopping

Nouns which combine with make

apology coffee excuse love offer remark

assumptio friend phone

comment lunch sound
n s call

complain
bed guess mess plan soup
t
 mistak
breakfast dinner law profit speech
e

statemen
cake effort list money progress
t

change error loss noise promise tea

'Make' or 'Do'?
It can be hard to decide when to use 'make' or 'do' in English. Here's some help.

1: We use 'make' when we create or construct something. For example:

 She made a cake.

 I've made us some coffee.
 Did you really make those trousers?

2: We use 'do' for general activities. In this case, 'do' is often used with 'something', 'nothing',
'anything' or 'everything':

 What did you do at the weekend?

 I didn't do anything yesterday.
 She's fed up with doing everything herself. She needs some help.
 Are you doing anything interesting during the holidays?

NOTE: 'What do you do?' means 'what's your job?'