25 Collocations with “Make”

25 Collocations with Make (with Meanings & Examples)

One of the fastest ways to sound more natural in English is to use collocations — words that regularly go together. Native speakers don’t usually choose these combinations consciously. They simply sound right:

• make a decision (not do a decision)
• heavy rain (not strong rain)

Learning collocations helps you speak more fluently, write more naturally and avoid common mistakes in exams. In this lesson, you will learn 25 common collocations with the verb make, all explained clearly with natural examples.

Decisions, Thinking & Communication

Make a decision

Meaning: to choose after thinking carefully

• I need to make a decision about my future career.

Make a choice

Meaning: to decide between options

• She struggled to make a choice between two job offers.

Make a suggestion

Meaning: to propose an idea

• Feel free to make a suggestion if you see a better solution.

Make a point

Meaning: to emphasise something important

• He made a point about the need for honesty.

Make a statement

Meaning: to express a strong or meaningful message

• Her speech made a powerful statement about equality.

Effort, Actions & Results

Make an effort

Meaning: to try hard

• You should make an effort to arrive on time.

Make progress

Meaning: to improve or advance

• She’s making good progress in her English studies.

Make a difference

Meaning: to have an important effect

• Small actions can make a big difference.

Make a mistake

Meaning: to do something incorrectly

• Everyone makes mistakes when learning a language.

Make an excuse

Meaning: to justify a problem or failure

• He keeps making excuses for being late.

Planning & Organisation

Make a plan

Meaning: to organise something in advance

• Let’s make a plan for the weekend.

Make a list

Meaning: to write items down in order

• I need to make a shopping list.

Make arrangements

Meaning: to prepare or organise details

• They made arrangements for the wedding.

Make an appointment

Meaning: to arrange a meeting

• She made an appointment with her dentist.

Make time

Meaning: to ensure you have time for something

• Try to make time for exercise.

Money, Business & Agreements

Make money

Meaning: to earn income

• He started a small business to make money online.

Make a profit

Meaning: to earn more than you spend

• The company made a profit last year.

Make a loss

Meaning: to lose money

• The business made a loss during the first year.

Make a deal

Meaning: to reach an agreement

• The two companies made a deal.

Make an offer

Meaning: to propose a price or agreement

• They made an offer on the house.

Everyday Actions

Make a call

Meaning: to phone someone

• I need to make a call to my bank.

Make a reservation

Meaning: to book a place or service

• We made a reservation at the restaurant.

Make a complaint

Meaning: to express dissatisfaction

• She made a complaint about the poor service.

Make a promise

Meaning: to say you will definitely do something

• He made a promise to help her study.

Make a wish

Meaning: to hope for something

• She made a wish before blowing out the candles.

When learning collocations with make, don’t memorise them as a list. Instead, learn them in context, notice them when reading or listening and practise them in short sentences. That’s how collocations move from passive knowledge to natural English, which is exactly what examiners and native speakers notice.

Learn collocations with make, take, get, have, give, do

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