Shadowing Practice: Make or Do? Learn English for FREE with Lucy! - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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I've just made myself a cup of tea
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and I should do some housework soon
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but it got me thinking about two words that many students find very difficult to use.
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Today I want to talk to you about make and do.
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So why are these words so difficult to use the answer is
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that both words have very similar meanings
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and in many languages they use just one word like acid in Spanish
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so what is the main difference well with make you are creating something
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that didn't exist before whilst with do you're completing a task
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that already exists now please remember as with all English concepts there are always exceptions
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and I will talk about those after I've explained in most important parts
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so things that we can create from scratch a coffee
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or tea shall I make you one an offer I'd like
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to make you an offer can I make a suggestion all right
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but only if you make me a promise also I think I've made a mistake I'd like to make a complaint
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who's making
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that noise I've made a really important discovery most things to do with business go with make for example profit
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and loss last month I made a loss
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but this month I want to make a profit you can also make an investment into somebody else's business. If you're sure
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that your football team is going to win it could be
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an idea to make a bet on them to try
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and earn some extra cash and also if things go really well for you
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and you earn a lot of money you will have made a fortune.
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Now let's talk about do.
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I've already told you that do is when you complete a task that already exists for example
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every night I do my homework next week I have to
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do a test in science we did experiments I hope I
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don't have to do any interviews soon next summer I think
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I will do a language course housework chores the tasks
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and that's an important one to remember i hate doing the shopping i don't mind doing the dishes
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but i loathe and that means really hate doing the ironing you can also do well or badly in something
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i did badly in an exam last summer
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so now i have to do it again you can do bad
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or good doing good is doing something positive
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if you eat healthily you do yourself good you also do your best
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or do your worst if you run a race you should do your best to try
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and achieve the best possible time I've got my red pen out it's exception time
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and unfortunately there are many exceptions to do with do
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and make I told you that most things to do with money
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and business go with make however have you ever heard the
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phrase pleasure doing business with you business just the word goes
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with do we do business with someone I also said
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that housework chores go would do but
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when I get up in the morning I should make my bed I also said
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that make was to do with creation
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so we create art right wrong we do a drawing
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and finally girls hair and makeup I do my hair
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and I also do my makeup oh sorry just doing my lipstick um that's it for make
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or do I really hope you learned something
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and I would really appreciate it if you subscribe and also
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if you attempt the quiz
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that I'm showing next you can leave your answers in the comments and I will try and correct them all.
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Bye -bye!
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Why Practice Speaking with This "Make or Do" Video?
Want to boost your English speaking skills while mastering tricky vocabulary? This video is perfect for IELTS speaking practice and everyday conversation. It uses real-life scenarios—like making tea or doing chores—to teach "make" vs. "do," so you’ll learn in context, not just memorize rules. Plus, the conversational tone makes it ideal for the shadowing technique: repeat the speaker’s words, rhythm, and intonation to sound more natural. It’s like having a free language partner!
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The video breaks down "make" (creating something new) and "do" (completing a task) with relatable examples. Key structures include:
- "I’ve just made myself a cup of tea" – present perfect for recent actions, great for daily chats.
- "I hate doing the shopping" – gerunds after verbs like "hate" or "mind," essential for describing habits.
- "Pleasure doing business with you" – a common exception to the "make" rule, crucial for professional speaking.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Watch out for tricky sounds! The word "loathe" (meaning "hate") has a long "o" sound—don’t mix it up with "load." Also, "profit" and "loss" have short vowel sounds; stress the first syllable. The speaker’s natural pace is perfect for shadowspeak—pause, replay, and mimic her flow. Even "make-up" is pronounced with a soft "k" and stress on the first part. Master these, and you’ll sound more confident in no time.
Ready to practice? Use the shadowing technique with this video, then test yourself. It’s a fun way to learn english with videos and turn confusing grammar into second nature. Happy speaking!
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 | I've just made · I've explained · I've made |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should do · should make |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | are creating · you're completing · is doing |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will talk · will have · will do |
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.