Side-by-side comparisons of the most commonly confused verb pairs, plus the collocations that naturally go together — with clear rules and memory tricks.
makevsdo
make
Create, produce, cause a result
Something new exists after the action
make a cake • make a decision • make money • make a mistake • make noise • make friends
do
Perform, complete a task or activity
Focus on the process, not a tangible result
do homework • do the dishes • do exercise • do research • do your best • do a favor
💡 Memory trick
MAKE = you can often touch/see the result. DO = it's an activity or task.
🔘 Collocations Reference
Words that naturally go together. You don't "do a mistake" — you "make a mistake." Learn the right combinations.
🟢 have vs take
haveExperiences, food/drink, situations
havebreakfast/lunch
havea shower (BrE)
havea good time
havea problem
havean idea
havea conversation
havea look
havefun
takeActions, transport, time
takea photo
takea shower (AmE)
takea break
takea risk
takenotes
takea bus/taxi
taketime
taketurns
🟣 get vs give
getReceive, become, obtain
geta job
getready
getlost
getangry/tired
getmarried
getbetter/worse
giveTransfer, provide
giveadvice
givepermission
givea speech
givesb a hand
givean answer
givepriority
🔸 pay / keep / save
payMoney, attention, consequences
payattention
paya compliment
paya visit
paythe price
keepContinue, maintain a state
keepa promise
keepcalm
keepa secret
keepin touch
keepa record
saveRescue, preserve, accumulate
savetime
savemoney
saveenergy
savesomeone's life
❌ Common mistakes
do a mistake → make a mistake make homework → do homework do a decision → make a decision make exercise → do exercise take breakfast → have breakfast do a photo → take a photo
sayvstell
say
Report words (no person required after it)
say + (that) + clause / say + "words"
She said she was tired. • He said "hello." • What did you say? • Say it again.
tell
Inform someone (person required after it)
tell + person + (that) + clause
She told me she was tired. • Tell him the truth. • He told us a story. • Don't tell anyone.
💡 Memory trick
SAY something. TELL someone something. Fixed: tell a lie, tell a joke, tell the truth, tell the time.
bringvstake
bring
Move toward the speaker / here
Direction: → HERE (toward you or the listener)
Bring me some water. • Can you bring a friend to the party? • I'll bring dessert.
take
Move away from the speaker / there
Direction: THERE ← (away from you)
Take your umbrella (when you leave). • Take this to the office. • I took the book to school.
💡 Memory trick
BRING = come + carry (toward). TAKE = go + carry (away). Think of direction!
borrowvslend
borrow
Take temporarily (you receive)
borrow + thing + from + person
Can I borrow your pen? • I borrowed $20 from him. • She borrows books from the library.
lend
Give temporarily (you provide)
lend + thing + to + person / lend + person + thing
Can you lend me your pen? • I lent him $20. • The bank lends money.
I see a bird. • Did you see that? • I can't see without glasses.
look (at)
Direct eyes intentionally (active, brief)
Look at this photo! • She looked at him. • Look both ways.
watch
Observe for a period (active, sustained)
Watch TV. • Watch the game. • Watch the kids (care).
💡 Scale of attention
see (happens naturally) → look (brief intentional glance) → watch (sustained observation over time).
hearvslisten
hear
Perceive sound passively (no effort)
It just happens — like "see" for ears
I can hear music. • Did you hear that noise? • I heard the news.
listen (to)
Pay attention to sound actively
Intentional effort — like "watch" for ears
Listen to me! • She listens to podcasts. • I'm listening to music.
💡 Pattern
Same logic: see/hear = passive perception. look/listen = active attention. Note: listen TO (always with preposition).
lessvsfewer
less
Uncountable nouns
less money, less time, less sugar
I have less money than you. • She eats less sugar now.
fewer
Countable nouns (plural)
fewer people, fewer cars, fewer mistakes
There are fewer people here today. • Fewer students signed up.
💡 Memory trick
If you can count it (one car, two cars) → fewer. If you can't (money, time, sugar) → less.
mevsI
I
Subject of the sentence
The one doing the action
My friend and I went out. • He and I are best friends.
me
Object (after a verb or preposition)
The one receiving the action
She gave it to my friend and me. • Between you and me...
💡 Test it alone
Remove the other person: "Me went out" sounds wrong → use I. "It's for I" sounds wrong → use me.
whovswhom
who
Subject of the verb
Does the action
Who is coming? • The man who called earlier.
whom
Object of a verb or preposition
Receives the action
To whom should I address this? • Whom did you invite?
💡 He/him test
If you can answer with he → use who. If you can answer with him → use whom. (he called → who; I saw him → whom)
isvsare
is
Singular subjects — and some tricky ones
news, everybody, money amounts
The news is worrying. • Everybody is welcome. • Ten dollars is too much.
are
Plural subjects — and words that look singular
glasses, police, scissors
My glasses are on the table. • The police are investigating.
⚠️ Watch for false friends
News ends in -s but is singular (is). Police looks singular but is always plural (are).
there / their / they're
there
Place / existence
Put it over there. • There is a problem.
their
Possessive (belongs to them)
Their house is huge. • I saw their car.
they're
Contraction of "they are"
They're coming tonight. • They're always late.
💡 Expand the contraction
If you can replace it with "they are" and it still makes sense → they're. If it shows possession → their. Otherwise → there.
yourvsyou're
your
Possessive (belongs to you)
Is this your bag? • Don't forget your passport.
you're
Contraction of "you are"
You're going to love this. • You're right.
💡 Expand the contraction
Say "you are" instead — if it still makes sense, write you're. Otherwise, it's your.
itsvsit's
its
Possessive — no apostrophe
The dog wagged its tail. • The company changed its policy.
it's
Contraction of "it is" or "it has"
It's raining. • It's been a long day.
💡 Expand the contraction
Say "it is" or "it has" — if it still makes sense, write it's. Otherwise (possession), it's its — no possessive pronoun in English ever uses an apostrophe (his, hers, its, ours, theirs).
principalvsprinciple
principal
Noun: head of a school. Adjective: main/most important
The school principal. • The principal reason.
principle
A fundamental rule, value, or truth
Honesty is her principle. • The basic principle of physics.
💡 Memory trick
The principal is your pal (both end in -pal). A principle is a rule (both end in -le, like "rule").
complementvscompliment
complement
Something that completes or goes well with
This wine complements the meal. • The colours complement each other.
compliment
A nice thing you say (praise)
She gave me a compliment. • He paid her a compliment.
💡 Memory trick
A compliment makes you feel good (like "I like it"). Complement completes something else.
desertvsdessert
desert
A dry, arid area (noun). Or: to abandon (verb)
The Sahara Desert. • Don't desert your friends.
dessert
The sweet course after a meal
What's for dessert? • Chocolate cake for dessert.
💡 Memory trick
Dessert has 2 S's because you always want a "Second Serving"! Desert (1 S) is dry, just like the Sahara.
weathervswhether
weather
Rain, sun, wind, temperature...
The weather is lovely today. • Check the weather forecast.
whether
Introduces a choice/doubt (= "if")
I don't know whether to go. • She asked whether I was coming.
💡 Memory trick
Weather has "eat" hidden in it — think of sunny days for a picnic. Whether is about a choice, like "which."
still / already / just / yet
still
A situation continues, unchanged
Is she still working here? • He's still asleep.
already
Sooner than expected (affirmative)
I've already eaten. • You've already finished?!
just
Very recently
I've just arrived. • She's just left.
yet
Up to now (questions and negatives)
Have you finished yet? • We haven't decided yet.
💡 Quick rule
Yet = questions/negatives only. Already = affirmative, surprise. Just = a moment ago. Still = ongoing, no change.