100+ Conversation Questions with "Make" and "Do" for B1 English Learners

Recommended level: intermediate (B1)

This page is intended to be a discussion resource for English learners and teachers. You can practice answering these "make" and "do" conversation questions for B1 intermediate English learners by yourself or with a partner. You can also write the answers in a notebook, in a digital document, or in the comments section below. To help learners feel more confident and to develop grammatical accuracy, the Warm-up questions have some suggested answer beginnings, which makes them ideal for beginners. For questions without answer beginnings, move on to the Let's go! section.

The difference between "make" and "do"

"Do" is a general word for actions and activities. For example:

What are you doing tonight?

Don't worry about cleaning the bathroom. I'll do it.

We did a lot yesterday.

That was amazing! How did you do that?

"Make" often means to create or produce something. It typically has a visible result at the end. For example:

What did you make for dinner?

Which company made this game?

He has made five films in his career.

I'm making coffee. Would you like a cup?

However, there are expressions that do not always follow these guidelines. For example:

Who did your hair? It looks great.

You need to make a decision.

Everyone makes mistakes.

She made a bad impression during her job interview.

It's hard for her to make friends.

Thank you for the compliment! You have made my day! (This means that someone has done or said something to make you really happy, thankful, or excited.)

As usual, the key to learning new vocabulary is to read a lot, listen a lot, and speak a lot. So, let's practice!

100+ "Make" and "Do" Conversation Questions for B1 Intermediate English Learners

Answer the questions below. Sometimes, you will not be able to answer with "make" or "do." For example, if someone asks you, "What do you do?", which means, "What is your job?", you might answer with, "I'm an electrical engineer." This is okay. Just say what makes sense in context.

Warm-up

How much money did you make at your first job?

I made _____ [per hour / per week / per month].

Did you do chores when you were younger? (chores = housework)

Yes, I did [the dishes / the laundry / the vacuuming].

Yes, I [took out the garbage / cleaned my room / cleaned the bathroom].

No, not really.

Did you make your own lunch in elementary school?

Yes, I made my own lunch.

No, my [mom/dad] made it for me.

No, the people in the school cafeteria made my lunch.

When was the last time you made an effort to learn something new?

The last time I made an effort to learn something new was _____.

Is it always easy to do the right thing?

Yes, it's always easy to do the right thing because _____.

No, it's not always easy to do the right thing because _____.

What are foods or behaviours that can do damage to your health?

_____ can do damage to your health.

How did you usually do in school? (Meaning, "Did you get good [grades/marks/scores] in school?")

I usually did [really well / well / okay / not bad / poorly / badly].

Do you do any sports or other physical activities?

Yes, I do _____.

Not really.

Can you do push-ups? If so, how many push-ups can you do?

Yes, I think I can do _____ push-ups.

No, I can't do push-ups.

Did you always do your homework in school?

Yes, I always did my homework.

Not always, but I usually did my homework.

No. I almost never did my homework.

Using "do" for housework and other tasks around the home

Who does the grocery shopping in your home? (Also: "Who does the groceries?")

Who does most of the cooking?

Who usually does the dishes in your home?

Who usually does the laundry?

Who usually does the sweeping or vacuuming?

Who usually does the bathrooms? (In this case, since we are already talking about cleaning, "Who does the bathrooms?" means "Who cleans the bathrooms?")

In general, who does the most cleaning in your home?

Does anyone in your family do gardening or other work outside the home?

Does anyone in your family do the ironing? (Another common way to say this is, "Does anyone in your family iron the clothes?")

Do you need to do any renovations around your home?

In your country, is it common to pay someone to do your housework?

Using "make" for food and drinks

Who usually makes dinner in your home?

What do you usually make for breakfast?

Do you know how to make pizza from scratch? ("From scratch" means "from nothing.")

Have you ever made a cake?

How often do you make tea or coffee?

"Make" and "do" picture practice: What are they doing?

What are they doing? Use "[He/She] is [making/doing]" or "They are [making/doing]" in your answer. Here are the key words to help you:

noise / his bed / eye contact / her homework / coffee / pancakes / yoga / the dishes / a wish / a mess

Using "do" for general activities

Remember, when you respond to these questions, it is not necessary to use "do" in your answer. Just saw what makes sense in context.

What are you doing tonight?

What did you do yesterday?

What do you like to do in your free time?

What's more important? To do a job you like or to make a lot of money?

What should learners do if they want to improve their English speaking skills?

Practicing "do" expressions in speaking

How often did you do homework when you were in school?

When was the last time you did somebody a favour?

Do you ever like to do nothing?

When was the last time you did an exam?

How long does it take you to do your hair in the morning?

When was the last time you did a presentation in front of a group of people?

Do you think you always do your best?

Practicing "make" expressions in speaking

Do you have to make any appointments in the near future?

Do you always make your bed?

Do you ever make lists? If so, for what?

Do animals or insects make a lot of noise at night in your neighbourhood?

These days, most people prefer to text. How often do you make phone calls?

How do you feel when you realize that you have made a mistake?

Is it usually easy for you to make a decision?

Have you made any plans for this weekend?

Do you know anyone who likes to make jokes?

What can people do to make a positive difference in their community?

What's a movie, book, or other piece of art or media that made a strong impression on you?

Do you think you made a lot of trouble for your parents when you were younger, or were you a good kid?

Is it easy to make friends in school?

Do you feel comfortable making eye contact with someone during a conversation?

Have you ever made a wish when you saw a shooting star?

"Make" and "do" in the past: What did they do?

Practice using "made" and "did," the past forms of "make" and "do." Use "[He/She/They] made" or "[He/She/They] did" to describe the pictures. Here are the key words to help you:

a list / a decision / a mistake / a deal / a phone call / a blood test / money / a presentation

Using "make" to talk about communication

Complete the sentences.

• I'd like to make a request. Could you _____?

• They made us an offer. They want to give us _____.

• Can I make a suggestion? Why don't you _____?

• I'd like to make a complaint. Yesterday, one of your employees _____.

• Stop making excuses and just _____.

Emotions and reactions with "make"

If something makes you feel or makes you react a certain way, it causes you to feel or react that way. For example, "The news usually makes me angry," or "My sister makes me laugh." Answer the questions below and try to continue the conversation.

What makes you...?

• happy

• sad

• angry

• tired

• laugh

• nervous

• smile

• excited

• scared

• inspired

Using "make" and "do" at work

What do you do? (Meaning, "What is your job?")

What do you have to do at work? (Meaning, "Tell me about your work tasks.")

Do you ever have to make (create) and do (give/present) presentations?

If someone makes a serious mistake at your job, what can happen?

What can you do to make a good impression in a job interview?

Do you prefer to do one thing at a time, or do you like to multitask?

How much money can people make in your [field/industry/type of work]?

How often do you work overtime at your job?

Did you do any specialized training to learn how to do your job? If so, how much training did you do?

Do you have time to make small talk at work?

Passive sentence practice with "make" and "do"

Where was your shirt made?

Have you ever received a gift that was made by hand?

Do you believe the promises that are made by politicians?

What tasks are now done by machines that were done by people in the past?

What jobs are usually done for you by other people? (Example: Fixing your car)

Has a choice ever been made for you that you didn't like?

What efforts are being made to protect the environment today?

What decision(s) should not be made quickly in life?

(Example: "The decision to marry should not be made quickly.")

What changes are being made by AI right now?

Have any renovations recently been done in your home?

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