Shadowing Practice: Learn English with Real Conversations Podcast | How to Use “DO” vs “MAKE” - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hey, hey everyone!
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Welcome back to Go English!
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I'm Mizu and today we're talking about something very, very common and yes, very confusing.
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Hey friends, I'm Lucas.
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Okay, quick question for you.
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Which one sounds right?
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Do homework or make homework?
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Hmm.
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And how about this one?
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Make a mistake or do a mistake.
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Oh wow, this one tricks so many learners.
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If you've ever stopped, frozen and thought, wait, which one is correct?
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You are not alone.
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Really, everyone makes this mistake at first.
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Yes, totally normal.
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English learners all around the world mix up do and make.
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It's okay, it happens.
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But here's the good news.
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After this video, things will feel much clearer, much simpler.
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You'll know when to use do, when to use make, and you'll feel more confident, more natural when you speak.
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So relax, stay with us.
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And let's make English simple, real, and fun, right here on Go English.
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Yes.
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By the way, Mizu, what did you do yesterday?
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Oh, wow.
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Yesterday was busy.
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I did some work, made lunch, and later I made a plan for today.
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How about you, Lucas?
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Haha.
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Mine was similar.
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I did homework, made breakfast, and, of course, made a few mistakes along the way.
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Yes, that's real life.
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And friends, if you like this video, don't forget to give us a thumbs up and subscribe so you don't miss any Go English lessons.
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Yes!
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Comment below, too!
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Tell us what you did yesterday.
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We'd love to hear.
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Alright, let's get started and make English super easy and natural.
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Mizu, can I be honest?
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Do and make are confusing.
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Really confusing.
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Oh yes, totally.
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And I know why.
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Because in English, both do and make can sometimes translate to to do in other languages.
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So we think, oh, same meaning, easy. But nope.
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Exactly.
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And then we start asking, okay, I want to do my homework, so should I say, do homework or make homework?
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Oh wow, it gets tricky fast.
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Yes, and that's the main problem.
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English doesn't work by word-for-word translation.
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Native speakers don't stop to think, do I use do or make?
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They just know what sounds natural.
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Right.
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They don't check grammar rules every time.
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They speak by habit.
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It's all about what feels right in the moment.
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Exactly!
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Habit and fixed phrases.
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Some words just naturally go together.
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It's like best friends who always stick together.
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So in English, it's not about which word means to do?
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Nope.
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It's more like, which one sounds natural here?
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That's the key.
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Ah, now I get it.
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So if I just focus on the feeling of the sentence instead of translating, it's easier.
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Yes!
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Once you understand that, oh wow, things get so much easier.
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You stop translating in your head and start thinking in English.
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And that's when speaking starts to feel natural and confident.
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Exactly!
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So don't worry if you feel confused right now.
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That's totally normal.
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Really, really normal.
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And in the next part, we'll show you some simple, easy-to-remember rules
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that native speakers use all the time without thinking yes simple
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clear real english let's go all right lucas let's start with rule number one.
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And don't worry, this rule is very simple.
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Yes, simple is good.
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So, when do we use do, Mizu?
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Okay, here it is.
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Ready?
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We use do for tasks, work, duties, and activities.
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Hmm, tasks and activities.
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So, things we have to do every day?
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Exactly.
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Daily things.
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Things you need to finish.
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The important part is the action, not the result.
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Oh.
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So we care about doing the action, not what we create.
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Yes.
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Perfect.
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With do, we don't focus on the final result.
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We just focus on the activity itself.
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Okay.
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Give me some real examples.
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Sure.
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We say do homework, not make homework, Homework is a task.
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Right.
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School task.
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We also say do the dishes.
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It's a daily chore, something you have to do.
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Yes, I do the dishes every night.
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Exactly.
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And how about work?
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We say do your job.
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Because it's your duty, your responsibility.
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Yes.
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And one more very common one, do exercise.
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It's an activity.
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You're focusing on moving your body, not creating something.
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Oh, wow, I see it now.
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Homework, dishes, job, exercise.
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All daily activities.
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Yes, so remember this.
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Do is usually used for everyday tasks.
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Things you must do.
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Things on your to-do list.
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So if it feels like work or a responsibility.
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Then do is probably the right choice.
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Nice.
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Simple, clear, and very real.
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Exactly.
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And don't worry, in the next part we'll talk about make, and you'll see the difference even more clearly.
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All right, Mizu, we talked about do.
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Now I'm curious, what about make?
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Ah, yes, make.
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This one is actually very fun, and the rule is clear, clear, clear.
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Okay, I'm listening.
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We use make when we create something, produce something, or when there's a result at the end.
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Oh, so with make, something appears.
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Yes, exactly.
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After make, there is something new, a result you can see or feel.
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Give me an example.
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Sure.
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In the morning, you make breakfast.
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Right.
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Before, there was no breakfast, and after, boom, breakfast is there.
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Yes, that's the idea.
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Another very common one, make a mistake.
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Oh, wow.
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Everyone does that.
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Yes, a mistake didn't exist before, but after the action, the mistake appears.
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That's why we use make, not do.
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Okay, that makes sense.
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What about decisions?
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Good one.
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We say make a decision.
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At first, you're thinking, then suddenly you choose.
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the decision is created.
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And of course, make money.
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Yes!
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After working, the result is money.
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So again, make focuses on the result.
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So, let me check if I understand.
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Do is about the action.
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Make is about the result.
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Perfect!
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You got it.
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If something appears at the end, food, a plan, a mistake, money, we usually use make.
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Wow, this is much clearer now.
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Yes, just remember this feeling.
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After make, there is something there.
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Okay, Lucas, now let's put do and make next to each other, side by side.
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Yes, this part is important.
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This is where things really Exactly!
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So remember this feeling.
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Do is about the process.
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Make is about the result.
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Process versus result.
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Okay, show me.
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Alright.
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First one. Do work.
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We say do work, not make work, right?
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Yes, because work is an activity.
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You're focusing on the action, the effort, the process.
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There's no work object at the end.
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Exactly.
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Now, second example, make a plan.
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Ah, not do a plan.
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Right, because after thinking and talking, a plan appears.
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That's the result.
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Okay, that's very clear.
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Last one, do cleaning.
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Not make cleaning.
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Yes, cleaning is a task.
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It's something you do.
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You focus on the activity, not creating cleaning.
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Yeah, you can't create cleaning.
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Exactly!
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So if it feels like an activity, a process, something on your to-do list… Use do.
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And if it feels like something appears at the end, a plan, food, money, a mistake… Use make.
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Simple contrast, right?
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Very simple and very real English.
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Yes, and in the next part we'll look at some very common mistakes learners make so you can avoid them.
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Alright, now let's talk about something very real.
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Common mistakes.
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And yes, everyone makes them.
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Oh yes, these are mistakes we hear all the time.
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Don't worry if you've said them before.
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Ok, first one.
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I hear this a lot.
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Make homework.
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Ah, that one sounds logical, but in English it's not correct.
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Right.
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We don't create homework.
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Homework is a task.
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So, the correct phrase is do homework.
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Focus on the activity, not the result.
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Okay, next mistake.
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Do a mistake.
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Oh, wow.
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This one is super common.
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Yes, but we don't say that.
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We say, make a mistake.
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Because the mistake appears.
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It's the result of an action.
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So, we use make.
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All right.
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And the third one, do a decision.
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Hmm.
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Nope, that one should be make a decision.
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Again, because a decision is created after thinking.
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Exactly.
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So let's repeat this feeling one more time.
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Homework is a task, so we say, do homework.
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A mistake is a result, so we say, make a mistake.
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A decision is a result, so we say, make a decision.
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If you remember the reason, not just the phrase, you'll make fewer mistakes.
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Yes.
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Don't memorize blindly.
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Feel the meaning.
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And don't be afraid to make mistakes while learning.
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That's how you learned.
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Exactly.
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And next, we'll help you practice so you can use do and make naturally.
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Okay, enough rules, enough explanations.
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Let's use this in real life.
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Yes.
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Imagine this is just a normal morning.
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No classroom and no textbook, just us talking.
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Exactly.
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Ready?
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Ready.
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So, Lucas, how is your morning today?
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Oh, busy.
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Very busy.
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I woke up early and the first thing I did was do some work on my laptop.
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Wow, already working in the morning?
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Yeah, but after that, I made breakfast.
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Simple breakfast, but still, breakfast appeared.
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Nice!
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See?
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Real life.
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You do work, but you make breakfast.
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Exactly.
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And after eating, I had to do the dishes. Of course.
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Nobody escapes the dishes.
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True.
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Then I sat down and made a plan for the day.
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Oh, that's a good habit.
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What's in your plan?
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Well, first I need to do my job.
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Meetings, emails, all that stuff.
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Sounds familiar.
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And later, I want to make a decision about my weekend.
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Travel or stay home.
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Big decision.
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Yes.
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And honestly, during the day, I'll probably make a few mistakes.
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But that's OK. Of course.
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Everyone makes mistakes.
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That's real life.
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So, yeah, nothing special.
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Just a normal day.
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And that's the point.
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We do daily tasks.
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We make results.
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Real English.
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Real life.
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Exactly.
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And you can talk about your day the same way.
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All right, now it's your turn.
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Don't just listen.
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Speak with us.
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Yes, say it out loud.
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Even if you're alone, that's how you improve.
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Okay, first sentence.
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Listen, then speak.
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Every morning I breakfast. Did you say make?
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Nice!
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Make breakfast.
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Something appears.
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Great job!
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Now the second one.
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After work, I need to my homework.
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The answer is do. Do homework.
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It's a task.
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Perfect.
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Very, very natural.
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Now let's try three more.
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Speak out loud.
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Every evening, I… The dishes.
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Yes, do the dishes.
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It's an activity you have to do.
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Great.
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Next one.
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I always… A plan before traveling.
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Exactly.
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Make a plan.
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You create something.
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A plan.
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Last one.
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Sometimes I accidentally… Make a mistake at work.
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Yes.
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Yes, make a mistake.
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The mistake appears after your action.
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Awesome!
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If you can say all five sentences smoothly, you're already using real English.
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And remember, speak slowly, clearly, and confidently.
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Yes, you're doing great.
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Keep practicing.
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Before we finish, we have a small question for you.
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Yes, just a simple one.
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No pressure.
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First question.
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What do you do every day?
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Maybe you do work, do homework, or do exercise.
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Second question.
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What is something you make often?
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Maybe you make breakfast, make plans, or make decisions.
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You can answer very simply.
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For example, every day I do… Or, I usually make… Write your answer in the comments.
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Short is perfect.
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We'd love to read what you do and what you make every day.
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And don't worry about being perfect.
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Just be real.
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Yes, real English, real people.
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Go ahead, leave a comment.
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Wow, we went through a lot today.
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Let's quickly wrap it up.
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Yes, two simple rules to remember.
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Do is activity, something you do as a task or daily duty.
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Speak is result – something you create or that appears after your action.
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And don't worry if you can't remember every single phrase, really.
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The key is to listen and use English often.
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The more you hear and speak, the more natural it becomes.
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Exactly.
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Slowly, step by step, it will feel real and easy.
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So remember, keep it real, keep it simple.
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And see you next time on Go English!
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Bye bye!
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Keep practicing and have fun with English!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Learn English with Real Conversations Podcast”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: mistake, homework, english, exactly, result. This video has 354 sentences and 2035 words to shadow. The speech runs for 15:58. The speaker talks at a steady 127 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| dish noun | /dɪʃ/ | A vessel such as a plate for holding or serving food, often flat with a depressed region in the middle. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| nope | /noʊp/ | No. |
| habit noun | /ˈhæb.ɪt/ | An action performed on a regular basis. |
| translate verb | /tɹænzˈleɪt/ | To change spoken words or written text (of a book, document, movie, etc.) from one language to another. |
| confuse verb | /kənˈfjuːz/ | to puzzle, perplex, baffle, bewilder (somebody); to afflict by being complicated, contradictory, or otherwise difficult to understand |
| naturally adverb | /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/ | In a natural manner. |
| trick noun | /ˈtɹɪk/ | Something designed to fool, dupe, outsmart, mislead or swindle. |
| confused adjective | /kənˈfjuːzd/ | unable to think clearly or understand |
| everyday adjective | /ˈɛvɹiˌdeɪ/ | Appropriate for ordinary use, rather than for special occasions. |
| lesson noun | /ˈlɛs.ən/ | A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided. |
| contrast noun | /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/ | The degree of this difference. |
| curious adjective | /ˈkjʊɹ.i.əs/ | Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying. |
| explanation noun | /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/ | The act or process of explaining. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| go together verb | To be in a relationship. | |
| mix up verb | To mix or blend thoroughly and completely. | |
| sit down verb | To assume a sitting position from a standing position. | |
| speak out verb | To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known. | |
| stick together verb | To physically combine or join together by adhesion. | |
| wake up verb | /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ | To stop sleeping; to awake. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- If you've ever stopped, frozen and thought, wait, which one is correct?
- Mizu, can I be honest?
- Native speakers don't stop to think, do I use do or make?
- What's in your plan?
- What do you do every day?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've ever stopped · you've said |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is created |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | start asking · stop translating · Keep practicing |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should I say · should be |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 44 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you're, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: thumb /ˈθʌm/, smoothly /ˈsmuːðli/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: dish /dɪʃ/, contrast /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, translation /tɹænzˈleɪʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, accidentally /ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/, confidently /ˈkɑnfɪdəntli/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like homework, dish, phrase.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.