Make, Do, and More: Food & Home Collocations: correct answers
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Do you make dinner or do dinner? Do you do the dishes or make the dishes? In English, everyday actions around the kitchen, the dining table, and the house come with fixed verb partners — and choosing the wrong one can sound instantly unnatural, even if the meaning is clear.
This challenge tests your knowledge of the most common collocations for cooking (chop the onions, follow a recipe, peel the potatoes), eating out (book a table, leave a tip, ask for the bill, split the bill), and household chores (do the laundry, do the ironing, make the bed, set the table). You'll need to know the difference between make and do in dozens of everyday phrases, plus the right verbs for kitchen tasks like whisking, grating, and stirring.
Work through 25 questions across four formats — single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down gap-fills, and drag-and-drop — each set in realistic scenarios like texting a roommate, planning a date night, or surviving Saturday chore day. Try the quiz to check your knowledge!
Correct answers
Question 1
The correct answers are Peel the potatoes and chop the onions, Grate the cheese and season the meat, and Whisk the eggs and preheat the oven.
Cooking collocations pair specific verbs with specific foods: peel potatoes, chop onions, grate cheese, season meat, whisk eggs, and preheat the oven. You can't "preheat a salad" — that's one cold mistake! 🥶
Question 2
It's date night! 🕯️ Your friend is planning a romantic evening. Choose the correct word to complete the collocation.
"I need to ___ a table at that new Italian restaurant."
The correct answer is book.
We say book a table (= reserve a table at a restaurant). "Order" goes with food or drinks, not tables. "Take a table" and "do a table" are not standard English collocations.
Question 3
The correct answers are booked and grab.
We say book a table — this means to reserve a table at a restaurant.
We say grab a bite — this is a common informal expression meaning to eat something quickly or casually.
Question 4
The correct answers are make breakfast, do the washing-up, and make a cup of tea.
We use make with food and drinks (make breakfast, make a cup of tea). We use do with chores and tasks (do the washing-up). These are fixed collocations — mixing them up sounds unnatural!
Question 5
The correct answers are set and make.
We say set the table — this means to put plates, cutlery, and glasses on the table before a meal.
We say make a salad — "make" is the standard verb used with dishes and meals (make a salad, make a cake, make a sandwich).
Question 6
Choose the correct cooking verb for each gap in Chef Rosa's instructions for her famous pasta sauce. 🍝
First, chop the onions into small pieces. Next, grate the cheese on top before serving.
The correct answer for the first blank is chop.
We say chop onions — to cut them into small pieces with a knife.
The correct answer for the second blank is grate.
We say grate cheese — to shred it into thin strips using a grater.
Question 7
The correct answers are make the bed, make a mess, and make a snack.
We make the bed, make a mess, and make a snack. However, we do the hoovering (vacuuming) and do the shopping. Remember: make often involves creating or producing something, while do is for routine tasks.
Question 8
The waiter was amazing — friendly, fast, and he even remembered your allergy! 🌟 Choose the correct collocation.
"The service was fantastic. We should ___ a generous tip."
The correct answer is leave.
We say leave a tip when talking about giving extra money for good service at a restaurant. While "give a tip" is also acceptable, leave a tip is the most natural and common collocation in this context.
Question 9
Choose the correct word for each gap to complete this text about Sam's lunch break. 🥪
Sam didn't have much time, so he decided to grab a quick bite at the café. He looked at the menu and decided to order the soup of the day.
The correct answer for the first blank is grab.
We say grab a bite — an informal collocation meaning to eat something quickly.
The correct answer for the second blank is order.
We say order food or a dish at a restaurant or café — to tell the waiter what you want to eat.
Question 10
Dinner is almost ready, and Mom needs help. 🍽️ Choose the correct word to complete what she says.
"Could you ___ the table, please? The food will be ready in five minutes!"
The correct answer is set.
We say set the table (= put plates, cutlery, and glasses on the table before a meal). This is one of the most common food-related household collocations. "Make the table" and "do the table" are not standard English expressions for this action.
Question 11
The correct answers are make, clears, and wash.
We say make dinner (not "do dinner") — "make" collocates with meals (make breakfast, make lunch, make dinner).
We say clear the table — this means removing plates and glasses after a meal.
We say wash the dishes (or "do the dishes") — "wash" is the natural partner for dishes when talking about cleaning them.
Question 12
The correct answers are book a table, leave a tip, and grab a bite to eat.
At restaurants, we book (or reserve) a table, leave a tip for the server, and grab a bite when we want a quick meal. "Catch a table" and "put a tip" are not standard collocations.
Question 13
The correct answers are do, iron, and vacuum.
We say do the laundry — "do" collocates with household tasks (do the laundry, do the washing-up, do the housework).
We say iron the clothes — "iron" is the verb used for removing wrinkles from fabric with a hot appliance.
We say vacuum the carpet — "vacuum" is the natural verb for cleaning carpets with a vacuum cleaner.
Question 14
Grandma is sharing her secret cookie recipe. 🍪 Choose the correct collocation to complete what she says.
"First, you need to ___ a recipe. I'll give you my favorite one!"
The correct answer is follow.
We say follow a recipe (= read and do what the recipe says, step by step). While you can "make a recipe" in very informal speech, the standard collocation for carrying out the instructions is "follow a recipe."
Question 15
Choose the correct word for each gap to complete this couple's dinner-out adventure. 🍽️
We decided to book a table at the new Italian place. After dessert, Tom asked the waiter to leave a tip on the table.
The correct answer for the first blank is book.
We say book a table when we want to arrange a reservation at a restaurant. "Make" doesn't collocate with "a table" in this meaning, and "leave" doesn't fit either.
The correct answer for the second blank is leave.
We say leave a tip. You "leave" money on the table for the server as a gratuity. You don't "reserve" or "book" a tip.
Question 16
It's Sunday — chore day! 🧺 Choose the correct word to complete this common household collocation.
"I really need to ___ the laundry. I'm running out of clean socks!"
The correct answer is do.
We say do the laundry (= wash clothes as a household task). While "wash the clothes" is grammatically fine, the fixed collocation with "laundry" is do the laundry. We use "do" with many household chores: do the laundry, do the dishes, do the cleaning.
Question 17
The correct answers are ask, leave, and try.
We say ask for the bill — this is the standard collocation when requesting the check at a restaurant.
We say leave a tip — "leave" is the natural verb used with "tip" (the extra money you give to a waiter).
We say try the menu / try a dish — "try" means to taste or experience something for the first time.
Question 18
After a delicious family meal, someone has to clean up. Choose the correct collocation to complete the sentence.
"You cooked, so I'll ___ the dishes."
The correct answer is do.
We say do the dishes (= wash the dishes). "Make" collocates with meals, not cleaning tasks. "Run" and "take" don't collocate with "dishes" in this context.
Question 19
The correct answers are peel, chop, and stir.
We say peel the potatoes — "peel" means to remove the skin from fruit or vegetables.
We say chop the onions — "chop" means to cut food into smaller pieces, typically with a knife.
We say stir the sauce — "stir" means to move a spoon around in a liquid to mix it.
Question 20
Choose the correct verb for each gap to help little Tomás with his chores before the family dinner party. 🎉
Mum asked me to lay the table for six people. After that, she told me to make my bed because Grandma was coming to see my room!
The correct answer for the first blank is lay.
We say lay the table — to put plates, cutlery, and glasses on the table before a meal.
The correct answer for the second blank is make.
We say make the bed — to tidy the sheets, blankets, and pillows so the bed looks neat.
Question 21
Your roommate just texted: "I'm starving! 🍝" Help them finish their message by choosing the correct collocation.
Don't worry — I'll ___ dinner tonight!
The correct answer is make.
We say make dinner (also "make breakfast/lunch"). "Do" collocates with chores, not meals. "Cook up" and "prepare up" are not standard collocations — we say "cook dinner" or "prepare dinner," but "make dinner" is the most common everyday collocation.
Question 22
Choose the correct word for each gap to help Marta describe her Saturday cleaning spree. 🧹
First, I clear the table after lunch. Then I do the ironing while listening to music.
The correct answer for the first blank is clear.
We say clear the table when we remove plates and dishes after a meal.
The correct answer for the second blank is do.
We say do the ironing. Household chores like ironing, cleaning, and laundry collocate with "do."
Question 23
The correct answers are do the laundry, do the ironing, and do the dishes.
We say make the bed (not "do the bed") and make dinner (not "do dinner"). However, cleaning and maintenance tasks typically take do: do the laundry, do the ironing, do the dishes.
Question 24
Choose the correct verb for each gap to complete what Jamie says about his morning routine in the kitchen.
Every morning, I do the dishes from last night, then I make breakfast for the whole family.
The correct answer for the first blank is do.
We say do the dishes (= wash the dishes). "Do" collocates with household cleaning tasks like do the washing-up, do the laundry, do the housework.
The correct answer for the second blank is make.
We say make breakfast (and make lunch / make dinner). "Make" collocates with meals and food we prepare.
Question 25
The correct answers are ask for the bill, split the bill, and pick up the bill.
When dining out, we ask for the bill (politely request it), split the bill (divide the cost), or pick up the bill (pay for everyone — very generous!). "Demand the bill" is grammatically possible but not a natural collocation, and "catch the bill" isn't used at all.