Business English from All Ears English BE 490: Doing Business or Making Business?
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Nov 13, 2025 This episode dives into the nuanced differences between 'make' and 'do' in business English. Learn how 'make' relates to creation, with phrases like 'make a decision' and 'make money.' In contrast, 'do' covers tasks and obligations, such as 'do business' and 'do your job.' The hosts engage in a role play about vendor meetings and timeline issues, emphasizing practical language use. They also offer tips on how to effectively learn and apply collocations in conversation, making it easier to communicate in a business environment.
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Common Real-World Errors
- Aubrey shared seeing "making business in the UK" as a written mistake.
- She compared it to French learners saying "make my homework" instead of "do my homework."
Use Make For Creating Or Producing
- Use make for creating, producing, or causing something with a visible result.
- Memorize common make chunks like make a decision, make a plan, and make a mistake.
Make Vs Do Is A Language Split
- English separates make and do where many other languages use one verb, which causes common mistakes.
- This split forces learners to memorize collocations rather than rely on translation.