Page 175 - English Vocabulary In Use upper intermediet and advance

Expressions with do and make

The next seven units deal with phrasal verbs and other expressions based on common verbs.
Phrasal verbs are basic verbs which can combine with different prepositions (or particles) to
make verbs with completely new - and often unguessable - meanings. Phrasal verbs are used
more in speaking than in writing. There is almost always a more formal way of conveying
the same idea. In this unit we look at phrasal verbs formed from do and make.

Here are some of the most useful phrasal verbs based on do and make.

phrasal verb meaning example
do with need, want I could do with something to eat.
do without manage without We'll have to do without a holiday
this year as money is so short.
do away with abolish Slavery was not done away with
until last century.
do out of prevent from He did me out of my rightful inheritance.
having (by deceit)
make for move in the Let's make for the city centre and
direction of find a restaurant on the way.
make of think (opinion) What do you make of him?
make off leave hurriedly He made off as soon as he heard
their car turn into the drive.
make up for compensate for The superb food at the hotel made
up for the uncomfortable rooms.
make up to be nice to in He made up to her until she
order to get s.t. agreed to help.

Some phrasal verbs have a number of different meanings; do up can mean not only 'fasten'
but also 'renovate' and 'put into a bundle'. Similarly, make out can mean 'claim', 'manage to
see' and 'understand' as well as 'write' or 'complete'; make up can mean 'compose' or
'invent'; it can also mean 'constitute' or 'form', 'put cosmetics on', 'prepare by mixing
together various ingredients' and 'make something more numerous or complete'.

There are a lot of other common expressions based on do and make.
You do: the housework / some gardening / the washing-up / homework / your best /
the shopping /the cooking / business with ..., and so on.
You make: arrangements / an agreement / a suggestion / a decision / a cup of tea / war /
an attempt / a phone call / the best of.. . / an effort / an excuse / a mistake / a bed / a
profit / a loss / love / the most of / a noise / a good or bad impression / a success of ... /
a point of ... / allowances for ... / a gesture / a face / fun of ... / a fuss of ... / a go
(a success) of ..., and so on.
The more collocations with do and make you learn, the more you will get a 'feel' for the
difference between the two verbs.

170 English Vocabulary in Use