Collocations with “Do” in English: Do Homework, Do Business, Do the Dishes & More
Understanding “do” in English
Do is one of the most useful—and most confusing—verbs in English.
It has two main roles:
- Do as a helping verb: It helps another verb make a question or negative. Think of forms like do, does, did (mainly questions), and don't, doesn't and didn't (for negatives).
Do you know the time? / Did you see the email? / I don’t like coffee. / She doesn't work here.
- Do as a main verb: It carries the real meaning of the sentence, usually meaning perform an activity or complete a task (do, does, did). No other verb is used.
I do my homework every evening. / She does the dishes after dinner. / We did yoga last Monday.
This page focuses on do as a main verb in affirmative (positive) sentences in the present simple and past simple, for example “I do my homework” and “She did the dishes.”
To learn how to make these sentences negative with don’t do, doesn’t do and didn’t do—and to understand the difference between do as a main verb and do as a helping verb—see our guide:
Don't, Doesn't, Didn't, Don't do, Doesn't do, Didn't do: A Simple Guide to Negative Contractions (read about haven't/hasn't as well for extra boost)
What is a collocation?
A collocation is a group of words that English speakers naturally use together. You can often translate each word separately, but the combination is what sounds natural.
For example, English speakers say:
do homework — not make homework
do the dishes — not make the dishes
do business — not make business
These word partnerships are called collocations. Learning them helps you speak and write more naturally, because you choose the words that English speakers expect to hear together.
Useful collocations with “do”
1. Study and school
do homework
do an exercise
do a test
do an exam
do a course
do research
do a project
Examples:
I did my homework last night.
She does research every day.
They do an English course twice a week.
2. Housework
do the dishes
do the washing-up
do the laundry
do the shopping
do the cooking
do the cleaning
do the ironing
Examples:
He does the cooking at home
We did the shopping yesterday.
I do the ironing.
3. Sport and exercise
do sport
do exercise
do yoga
do pilates
do aerobics
do karate
do gymnastics
Examples:
I do a lot of exercise.
She does yoga every morning.
We did karate when we were younger.
4. Work and business
do a job
do business
do work
do a report
do a presentation
do an interview
do a deal
Examples:
She does an important job.
They do business with that supplier.
I did a presentation last week.
5. Helpful or everyday actions
do someone a favour
do the right thing
do something wrong
do nothing
do your best
do your hair
do your nails
Examples:
Can you do me a favour? /Please do me a favour.
He did something wrong.
Just do your best.
6. Activities and interests
do a puzzle
do a crossword
do a quiz
do an activity
do a survey
do an experiment
Examples:
We did a quiz in class.
She does puzzles very often.
They did an experiment in science lesson.
Further reading suggestions for you:
- Top Mistakes Intermediate English Learners Make & How to Avoid Them
- Will vs. Going to (Future)
- Silent Letters in English (with Video)
- Expressing Ability (can, be able to, could, may, might)
or
Find your favourite topic in the Intermediate Level English Learning Resources section