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English, one useful word at a time

verb

make

/meɪk/

makemademade

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A word you can put to work

Build confidence with make.

Explore the patterns, test your choices, then use them in your own sentences.

4 useful uses8 practice questions4 activity cards
For learnersTest what you know Check answers and learn from each choice. For teachersPlan a practical lesson Ready-to-use cards, prompts and worksheets.

AI-assisted materials · Independent human review pending · Updated 26 October 2026

Verb forms and pronunciation

He / she / it
makes
Past simple
made
Past participle
made
-ing form
making

UK /meɪk/ · US /meɪk/

Headword IPA only; audio not supplied.

What you will practise

  • Distinguish creation, a resulting state, compulsion and noun combinations.
  • Use active make without to and passive be made with to.
  • Choose make progress and make a mistake accurately.

4 selected meanings and uses

1. Produce a new object or prepare something.

make + thing; make + someone + something

  • We made a cardboard model of the school.
  • I made my neighbour a sandwich.

Useful combinations: make a model · make a list

Learn conventional word combinations individually: make a plan, but do homework.

2. Cause a person or thing to have a particular quality or feeling.

make + object + adjective

  • The larger labels make the map clearer.
  • The quiet music made the children sleepy.

Useful combinations: make someone happy · make something clear

The adjective describes the object. It does not describe how the action is performed.

3. Require someone to perform an action.

make + person + base verb; be made + to-infinitive

  • The supervisor made us repeat the safety check.
  • The visitors were made to leave their bags outside.

Useful combinations: make someone wait · be made to repeat

Active make omits to; passive be made includes to.

4. Express an action or result in a conventional noun phrase.

make + noun phrase

  • Our class made good progress this month.
  • I made a mistake when I copied the room number.

Useful combinations: make progress · make a mistake · make an effort

Learn the combinations individually; make does not always produce a physical object.

Choose the right word or pattern

Make or do?

Make often emphasises an outcome; do often emphasises an activity. The distinction does not predict every conventional combination.

  • We did the exercise.
  • We made two mistakes in it.

Make someone do or be made to do?

Active make has no to before the following verb. Passive be made includes to.

  • The coach made us practise again.
  • We were made to practise again.

Make clear or explain clearly?

Clear describes the object after make; clearly describes the manner of explaining.

  • The labels make the diagram clear.
  • The tutor explained the diagram clearly.

Common mistakes explained

Check this: The new signs make the route clearly.

Correction: The new signs make the route clear.

Clear describes the route; clearly would be an adverb.

Check this: The teacher made us to start again.

Correction: The teacher made us start again.

Active make takes the base verb.

Check this: We were made wait.

Correction: We were made to wait.

Passive be made requires to.

Check this: We did good progress.

Correction: We made good progress.

The conventional combination is make progress.

Practise make: questions and explanations

Choose an answer, then check why it works. You can also open an explanation whenever you need help.

1We have ___ a cardboard display.
Show answer and explanation

B. made

Have needs the participle made.

2The revised diagram makes the process ___.
Show answer and explanation

A. clear

Clear is an adjective describing the process.

3The rules made us ___ our phones off.
Show answer and explanation

C. switch

Active make + object takes the base verb without to.

4We were made ___ outside.
Show answer and explanation

B. to wait

Passive be made requires to.

5Which is the usual word combination?
Show answer and explanation

B. make a mistake

Make a mistake is conventional; do homework is another combination.

6Which sentence correctly names the person receiving the food?
Show answer and explanation

B. I made soup for my guest.

Use make something for someone.

7The tutor made us redo the task. What happened?
Show answer and explanation

A. We were required to redo it.

Make someone do something expresses a requirement here.

8Which sentence uses make for a non-physical result?
Show answer and explanation

C. They made steady progress.

Progress is an abstract result.

Write and correct

Write your own response first. Model answers are examples; other natural answers may be correct.

Use the space below or your notebook. Your writing stays in this page; copy anything you want to keep.

  1. Model answer and marking guidance

    The rule made us wait.

    Remove to in the active pattern.

    Accept: Remove to in the active pattern.

  2. Model answer and marking guidance

    We were made to repeat the task by the organiser.

    Require were made to repeat; the by-phrase may be omitted.

    Accept: Accept We were made to repeat the task, with or without by the organiser. Preserve the passive, the to-infinitive and the meaning.

  3. Model answer and marking guidance

    The larger type causes the text to be easier to read.

    Preserve the cause and effect.

    Accept: Preserve the cause and effect.

  4. Model answer and marking guidance

    I made a bookmark for my sister.

    Check make + thing + for + person.

    Accept: Check make + thing + for + person.

  5. Model answer and marking guidance

    Our group is making progress with question forms.

    Accept an original sentence with correct agreement.

    Accept: Accept an original sentence with correct agreement.

Teacher activities and printable materials

Download the five-verb classroom pack (PDF)

The pack covers take, get, make, do and achieve. Student worksheets and teacher answer keys are separated. Select the pages you need before printing.

Lesson activity

Goal: Distinguish creation, a resulting state, compulsion and noun combinations. Use active make without to and passive be made with to. Choose make progress and make a mistake accurately.

Sort the supplied context cards by meaning or function (5 minutes), explain their patterns (4), practise the supplied dialogue roles (7), and complete the exit checks (4).

Assess meaning, form and word combination separately. Accept original answers that meet the criteria.

Context cards

Card A

We made a model from recycled cardboard.

Card B

The extra light makes the room brighter.

Card C

The instructor made us check every strap.

Card D

The team made steady progress during the project.

Teacher card key
  • A: Produce a new object or prepare something.
  • B: Cause a person or thing to have a particular quality or feeling.
  • C: Require someone to perform an action.
  • D: Express an action or result in a conventional noun phrase.

Partner task

Role A: Plan a classroom display. Ask what your partner will make and for whom.

Role B: Explain what you will create, how it will make learning easier, and one rule using make someone do.

  • Distinguish creation, a resulting state, compulsion and noun combinations.
  • Use active make without to and passive be made with to.
  • Choose make progress and make a mistake accurately.

Exit checks

  1. Name something you created.

    Sample answer

    I made a poster.

  2. Describe a resulting state.

    Sample answer

    The map makes the route clear.

  3. Use passive be made.

    Sample answer

    We were made to wait.

References and scope

This guide covers selected uses, not every dictionary meaning. Reference excerpts were consulted for language facts; full-source verification and independent human review remain pending. Examples and activities were written for this guide.