Vocabulary: exercise 6 - make and do

This exercise enables learners to identify and concentrate on individual needs and wants. They should each write, on separate slips of paper, phrases and sentences with do or make which they personally find important or difficult. One person's set might include, for example:

do as (you're) told

make up for lost time

we've got to do something about it

(it isn't ideal but) it'll do

I don't know what to make of it

make believe

can't make out what someone's saying

Ask them to form groups of two or three, with their personal sets of slips of paper in front of them, and set (or let them choose) a topic to discuss for, say, five minutes. This could be a topic of known general interest, or could perhaps be one which has been introduced in recent lesson. During the discussion they should try to find opportunities to use as many of their do and make expressions as possible, turning the slips of paper over as they do so. Of course, what they say must makes sense, and be relevant to the discussion! They can repeat this exercise from time to time, with different topics, throwing away the slips they no longer need and adding new ones as they come across new expressions with do and make.