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Common Errors & Confusables

False friends and typical mistakes

Make vs Do — fixed collocations

Make a decision / do homework — there is no rule except usage.

📊 Make vs Do
Make Do
make a decision do homework
make a mistake do the dishes
make an effort do exercise
make progress do research
make a phone call do your best
💬 Examples
make a mistake / do an exercise
make goes with mistake — do goes with exercise
📝 make vs do
make friends / do the shopping
these are fixed collocations — no rule
📝 fixed collocations
Say vs Tell — tell needs a person object

Tell someone something — say something.

💬 Examples
She told me the truth. ✓ / She said me the truth. ✗
tell always needs a person object after it
📝 tell + person + thing
He said that he was tired. ✓ / He told that he was tired. ✗
say is followed by that-clause not a person
📝 say + that-clause
Bring vs Take — direction matters

Bring = toward the speaker — take = away from the speaker.

💬 Examples
Bring me a cup of tea please.
bring = movement toward the speaker
📝 bring = toward me
Take your umbrella — it might rain.
take = movement away from the speaker
📝 take = away from here