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Make vs. Making — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 30, 2024
Make is the base form of a verb, implying creation or formation, whereas making is the present participle form, used to indicate ongoing action or process.
Make vs. Making — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Make and Making

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Key Differences

Make, as the base form of the verb, is used to talk about creating, forming, or performing something in a general sense. It can stand alone as the main verb in a sentence or be used with auxiliary verbs to form different tenses. On the other hand, making, the present participle of make, serves multiple functions. It can act as part of a continuous verb tense to describe actions that are currently happening or as a gerund, where it behaves like a noun.
When used in sentences, make often requires an object to complete its meaning, as it indicates the action of creating or producing something. For example, in "She wants to make a cake," make is used with an object (a cake) to describe the action of creating. Whereas, making can be used without a direct object in gerund form, as in "Making is part of the creative process," where it stands as the subject of the sentence.
The choice between make and making depends on the tense and aspect of the verb needed in a sentence. Make is used for simple present, simple past, and future tenses, reflecting actions that are general, completed, or will happen. In contrast, making is used for continuous tenses, indicating ongoing actions, or as a noun to discuss the concept or act of creation itself.
In instructional or procedural contexts, make often introduces commands or steps, such as in manuals or recipes, indicating a specific action to be performed. Making, however, is more likely to be found in discussions about the process or theory of creation, often in artistic or industrial contexts, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the action.
The use of make versus making can subtly change the focus of a sentence from the act itself to the process or state of being involved in that act. While make is direct and to-the-point, making often implies a deeper engagement with the action, highlighting its continuous or habitual aspect.
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Comparison Chart

Form

Base form of the verb
Present participle/gerund

Use in Tenses

Simple present, past, future
Continuous tenses, gerund usage

Example Sentence

"I will make a dress."
"She is making dinner."

Function

Indicates action of creation
Indicates ongoing process or state

Contextual Use

Direct action, commands
Discussing the process, habitual action

Compare with Definitions

Make

Refers to the act of creating or producing something.
She wants to make a new friend at school.

Making

Emphasizes the ongoing process or act of creating.
Making art is her passion.

Make

Often used in the context of preparing food or meals.
I will make breakfast for the guests tomorrow morning.

Making

Focuses on the engagement in or the process of an activity.
Making friends at a new school can be challenging.

Make

Involves constructing or forming something physically or conceptually.
The company plans to make a significant investment in renewable energy.

Making

Highlights the continuous aspect of forming or constructing something.
They are making plans for the weekend.

Make

Can imply performing an action or task.
He needs to make a choice by the end of the day.

Making

Involves the ongoing production or generation of something.
The factory is making too much noise.

Make

Implies causing something to exist or come about.
This decision will make a lot of people happy.

Making

Indicates a habitual or repeated action.
Making mistakes is part of learning.

Make

To cause to exist or happen; bring about; create
Made problems for us.
Making a commotion.

Making

The act of one that makes
The making of a cake.
The making of excuses.

Make

To bring into existence by shaping, modifying, or putting together material; construct
Make a dress.
Made a stone wall.

Making

The process of coming into being
Trouble in the making.

Make

To form by assembling individuals or constituents
We made a temporary information center using savvy volunteers.

Making

The means of gaining success or realizing potential
That job will be the making of you.

Make

To change from one form or function to another
Make clay into bricks.

Making

Something that is made, especially a quantity made at one time.

Make

To cause to be or become
Made her position clear.
A decision that made him happy.

Making

Often makings The abilities or qualities needed for development
You have the makings of a fine teacher.

Make

To cause to assume a specified function or role
Made her treasurer.
Made Austin his home.

Making

The material or ingredients needed for making something
All the makings for an apple pie.

Make

To cause to act in a specified manner
Heat makes gases expand.

Making

(Informal) The paper and tobacco for rolling a cigarette.

Make

To compel
Made him quit.

Making

The act of forming, causing, or constituting; workmanship; construction.

Make

To form in the mind
Make an estimate.

Making

Process of growth or development.
As a child, he didn’t seem like a genius in the making.

Make

To compose
Make verses.

Making

Present participle of make

Make

To prepare; fix
Make dinner.

Making

The act of one who makes; workmanship; fabrication; construction; as, this is cloth of your own making; the making of peace or war was in his power.

Make

To get ready or set in order for use
Made the bed.

Making

Composition, or structure.

Make

To gather and light the materials for (a fire).

Making

A poem.

Make

To engage in
Make war.

Making

That which establishes or places in a desirable state or condition; the material of which something may be made; as, early misfortune was the making of him.

Make

To carry out; perform
Make a phone call.
Make an incision.

Making

External appearance; from.

Make

To achieve, produce, or attain
Made peace between the two sides.
Not making sense.
Didn't make the quota.

Making

The act that results in something coming to be;
The devising of plans
The fashioning of pots and pans
The making of measurements
It was already in the making

Make

To institute or establish; enact
Make laws.

Make

To draw up and execute in a suitable form
Make a will.

Make

To arrange or agree to
Make a date.

Make

To arrive at; reach
Made Seattle in two hours.

Make

To reach in time
Just made the plane.

Make

To attain the rank or position of
Made lieutenant.

Make

To acquire a place in or on
Made the baseball team.
Made the newspapers.

Make

To gain or earn, as by working
Make money.

Make

To behave so as to acquire
Make friends.

Make

To score or achieve, as in a sport
Made a field goal.

Make

To assure the success of
Favorable reviews can make a play.

Make

To favor the development of
Practice makes a winning team.

Make

To be suited for
Oak makes strong furniture.

Make

To develop into
Will make a fine doctor.

Make

To draw a conclusion as to the significance or nature of
Don't know what to make of the decision.

Make

To calculate as being; estimate
I make the height 20 feet.

Make

To consider as being
Wasn't the problem some people made it.

Make

To constitute
They make a great team.

Make

To add up to
Two and two make four.

Make

To amount to
Makes no difference.

Make

To cover (a distance)
Made 200 miles before sunset.

Make

To constitute the essence or nature of
Clothes make the man.

Make

To cause to be especially enjoyable or rewarding
Your being along really made the outing.

Make

To appear to begin (an action)
She made to leave.

Make

To act or behave in a specified manner
Make merry.
Make free.

Make

To begin or appear to begin an action
Made as if to shake my hand.

Make

To cause something to be as specified
Make ready.
Make sure.

Make

To proceed in a certain direction
Made for home.
Made after the thief.

Make

(Slang) To pretend to be; imitate. Used with like
Made like a ballerina.

Make

To undergo fabrication or manufacture
This wool makes up into a warm shawl.

Make

To rise or accumulate
The tide is making.

Make

The style or manner in which a thing is made
Disliked the make of my coat.

Make

A specific line of manufactured goods, identified by the manufacturer's name or the registered trademark
A famous make of shirt.

Make

The origin of a product's manufacturing
A bicycle of a French make.

Make

The physical or moral nature of a person
Found out what make of man he was.

Make

The physical nature or build of an animal or person
A horse of a beautiful make.

Make

(Slang) Identification of a person or thing, often from information in police records
Did you get a make on the thief?.

Make

(transitive) To create.

Make

To build, construct, produce, or originate.
We made a bird feeder for our yard.
I'll make a man out of him yet.
He makes deodorants.

Make

To write or compose.
I made a poem for her wedding.
He made a will.

Make

To bring about; to effect or produce by means of some action.
Make war
They were just a bunch of ne'er-do-wells who went around making trouble for honest men.

Make

(religious) To create (the universe), especially (in Christianity) from nothing.
God made earth and heaven.

Make

(transitive) To prepare (food); to cook (food).
I'm making cereal for breakfast. Who wants some?

Make

To behave, to act.
To make like a deer caught in the headlights.
They made nice together, as if their fight never happened.
He made as if to punch him, but they both laughed and shook hands.

Make

(intransitive) To tend; to contribute; to have effect; with for or against.

Make

To constitute.
They make a cute couple.
This makes the third infraction.
One swallow does not a summer make.

Make

(transitive) To add up to, have a sum of.
Two and four make six.

Make

To interpret.
I don’t know what to make of it.
They couldn't make anything of the inscription.
What time do you make it?

Make

To bring into success.
This company is what made you.
She married into wealth and so has it made.

Make

To cause to be.
The citizens made their objections clear.
This might make you a bit woozy.
Did I make myself heard?
Scotch will make you a man.

Make

To cause to appear to be; to represent as.
Homer makes Aphrodite the daughter of Zeus, unlike Hesiod who depicted her as born from the sea foam.

Make

To cause (to do something); to compel (to do something).
You're making her cry.
I was made to feel like a criminal.

Make

To force to do.
The teacher made the student study.
Don’t let them make you suffer.

Make

To indicate or suggest to be.
His past mistakes don’t make him a bad person.

Make

To cover neatly with bedclothes.

Make

To recognise, identify, spot.

Make

To arrive at a destination, usually at or by a certain time.
We should make Cincinnati by 7 tonight.

Make

To proceed (in a direction).
They made westward over the snowy mountains.
Make for the hills! It's a wildfire!
They made away from the fire toward the river.

Make

(transitive) To cover (a given distance) by travelling.

Make

(transitive) To move at (a speed).
The ship could make 20 knots an hour in calm seas.
This baby can make 220 miles an hour.

Make

To appoint; to name.

Make

To induct into the Mafia or a similar organization (as a made man).

Make

To defecate or urinate.

Make

(transitive) To earn, to gain (money, points, membership or status).
They hope to make a bigger profit.
He didn't make the choir after his voice changed.
She made ten points in that game.

Make

(transitive) To pay, to cover (an expense); chiefly used after expressions of inability.

Make

To compose verses; to write poetry; to versify.

Make

To enact; to establish.

Make

To develop into; to prove to be.
She'll make a fine president.

Make

To form or formulate in the mind.
Make plans
Made a questionable decision

Make

To perform a feat.
Make a leap
Make a pass
Make a u-turn

Make

(intransitive) To gain sufficient audience to warrant its existence.
In the end, my class didn't make, which left me with a bit of free time.

Make

(obsolete) To act in a certain manner; to have to do; to manage; to interfere; to be active; often in the phrase to meddle or make.

Make

(obsolete) To increase; to augment; to accrue.

Make

(obsolete) To be engaged or concerned in.

Make

To cause to be (in a specified place), used after a subjective what.

Make

To take the virginity of.

Make

(intransitive) Of water, to flow toward land; to rise.

Make

Brand or kind; model.
What make of car do you drive?

Make

Manner or style of construction (style of how a thing is made); form.

Make

Origin (of a manufactured article); manufacture; production.
The camera was of German make.

Make

A person's character or disposition.

Make

(dated) The act or process of making something, especially in industrial manufacturing.

Make

(uncountable) Quantity produced, especially of materials.

Make

(computing) A software utility for automatically building large applications, or an implementation of this utility.

Make

(slang) Identification or recognition (of identity), especially from police records or evidence.

Make

Past, present, or future target of seduction (usually female).

Make

A promotion.

Make

A home-made project

Make

(cards) Turn to declare the trump for a hand (in bridge), or to shuffle the cards.

Make

(basketball) A made basket.

Make

(physics) The closing of an electrical circuit.

Make

Mate; a spouse or companion; a match.

Make

A halfpenny.

Make

An agricultural tool resembling a scythe, used to cut (harvest) certain plants such as peas, reeds, or tares.

Make

A companion; a mate; often, a husband or a wife.
For in this world no woman isWorthy to be my make.

Make

Structure, texture, constitution of parts; construction; shape; form.
It our perfection of so frail a makeAs every plot can undermine and shake?

Make

To cause to exist; to bring into being; to form; to produce; to frame; to fashion; to create.
He . . . fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf.

Make

To produce, as something artificial, unnatural, or false; - often with up; as, to make up a story.
And Art, with her contending, doth aspireTo excel the natural with made delights.

Make

To cause to be or become; to put into a given state verb, or adjective; to constitute; as, to make known; to make public; to make fast.
Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?
See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh.

Make

To bring about; to bring forward; to be the cause or agent of; to effect, do, perform, or execute; - often used with a noun to form a phrase equivalent to the simple verb that corresponds to such noun; as, to make complaint, for to complain; to make record of, for to record; to make abode, for to abide, etc.
Call for Samson, that he may make us sport.
Wealth maketh many friends.
I will neither plead my age nor sickness in excuse of the faults which I have made.

Make

To cause to appear to be; to constitute subjectively; to esteem, suppose, or represent.
He is not that goose and ass that Valla would make him.

Make

To execute with the requisite formalities; as, to make a bill, note, will, deed, etc.
He accuseth Neptune unjustly who makes shipwreck a second time.

Make

To require; to constrain; to compel; to force; to cause; to occasion; - followed by a noun or pronoun and infinitive.
I will make them hear my words.
They should be made to rise at their early hour.

Make

To find, as the result of calculation or computation; to ascertain by enumeration; to find the number or amount of, by reckoning, weighing, measurement, and the like; as, he made the distance of; to travel over; as, the ship makes ten knots an hour; he made the distance in one day.
Who makes or ruins with a smile or frown.

Make

To become; to be, or to be capable of being, changed or fashioned into; to do the part or office of; to furnish the material for; as, he will make a good musician; sweet cider makes sour vinegar; wool makes warm clothing.
And old cloak makes a new jerkin.

Make

To compose, as parts, ingredients, or materials; to constitute; to form; to amount to; as, a pound of ham makes a hearty meal.
The heaven, the air, the earth, and boundless sea,Make but one temple for the Deity.

Make

To be engaged or concerned in.
Gomez, what makest thou here, with a whole brotherhood of city bailiffs?

Make

To reach; to attain; to arrive at or in sight of.
They that sail in the middle can make no land of either side.
If a child were crooked or deformed in body or mind, they made him away.
Make the doors upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the casement.
He was all made up of love and charms!

Make

To act in a certain manner; to have to do; to manage; to interfere; to be active; - often in the phrase to meddle or make.
A scurvy, jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make.

Make

To proceed; to tend; to move; to go; as, he made toward home; the tiger made at the sportsmen.

Make

To tend; to contribute; to have effect; - with for or against; as, it makes for his advantage.
Follow after the things which make for peace.
Considerations infiniteDo make against it.

Make

To increase; to augment; to accrue.

Make

To compose verses; to write poetry; to versify.
To solace him some time, as I do when I make.
Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled.
My lord of London maketh as though he were greatly displeased with me.

Make

A recognizable kind;
There's a new brand of hero in the movies now
What make of car is that?

Make

The act of mixing cards haphazardly

Make

Engage in;
Make love, not war
Make an effort
Do research
Do nothing
Make revolution

Make

Give certain properties to something;
Get someone mad
She made us look silly
He made a fool of himself at the meeting
Don't make this into a big deal
This invention will make you a millionaire
Make yourself clear

Make

Make or cause to be or to become;
Make a mess in one's office
Create a furor

Make

Cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner;
The ads induced me to buy a VCR
My children finally got me to buy a computer
My wife made me buy a new sofa

Make

Give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally;
Cause a commotion
Make a stir
Cause an accident

Make

Create or manufacture a man-made product;
We produce more cars than we can sell
The company has been making toys for two centuries

Make

Make, formulate, or derive in the mind;
I draw a line here
Draw a conclusion
Draw parallels
Make an estimate
What do you make of his remarks?

Make

Compel or make somebody or something to act in a certain way;
People cannot be made to integrate just by passing a law!
Heat makes you sweat

Make

Create by artistic means;
Create a poem
Schoenberg created twelve-tone music
Picasso created Cubism
Auden made verses

Make

Earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages;
How much do you make a month in your new job?
She earns a lot in her new job
This merger brought in lots of money
He clears $5,000 each month

Make

Create or design, often in a certain way;
Do my room in blue
I did this piece in wood to express my love for the forest

Make

To compose or represent:
This wall forms the background of the stage setting
The branches made a roof
This makes a fine introduction

Make

Reach a goal, e.g.,
Make the first team
We made it!
She may not make the grade

Make

Be or be capable of being changed or made into;
He makes a great host
He will make a fine father

Make

Make by shaping or bringing together constituents;
Make a dress
Make a cake
Make a wall of stones

Make

Perform or carry out;
Make a decision
Make a move
Make advances
Make a phone call

Make

Make by combining materials and parts;
This little pig made his house out of straw
Some eccentric constructed an electric brassiere warmer

Make

Change from one form into another;
Make water into wine
Make lead into gold
Make clay into bricks

Make

Act in a certain way so as to acquire;
Make friends
Make enemies

Make

Charge with a function; charge to be;
She was named Head of the Committee
She was made president of the club

Make

Achieve a point or goal;
Nicklaus had a 70
The Brazilian team got 4 goals
She made 29 points that day

Make

Reach a destination, either real or abstract;
We hit Detroit by noon
The water reached the doorstep
We barely made it to the finish line
I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts

Make

Institute, enact, or establish;
Make laws

Make

Carry out or commit;
Make a mistake
Commit a faux-pas

Make

Add up to;
Four and four make eight

Make

Form by assembling individuals or constituents;
Make a quorum
The branches made a roof

Make

Organize or be responsible for;
Hold a reception
Have, throw, or make a party
Give a course

Make

Prepare for eating by applying heat;
Cook me dinner, please
Can you make me an omelette?
Fix breakfast for the guests, please

Make

Put in order or neaten;
Make the bed
Make up a room

Make

Head into a specified direction;
The escaped convict took to the hills
We made for the mountains

Make

Have a bowel movement;
The dog had made in the flower beds

Make

Undergo fabrication or creation;
This wool makes into a nice sweater

Make

Be suitable for;
Wood makes good furniture

Make

Amount to;
This salary increase makes no difference to my standard of living

Make

Constitute the essence of;
Clothes make the man

Make

Appear to begin an activity;
He made to speak but said nothing i the end
She made a if to say hello to us

Make

Proceed along a path;
Work one's way through the crowd
Make one's way into the forest

Make

Reach in time;
We barely made the plane

Make

Gather and light the materials for;
Make a fire

Make

Assure the success of;
A good review by this critic will make your play!

Make

Represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like;
She makes like an actress

Make

Consider as being;
It wasn't the problem some people made it

Make

Calculate as being;
I make the height about 100 feet

Make

Cause to be enjoyable or pleasurable;
Make my day

Make

Favor the development of;
Practice makes the winner

Make

Develop into;
He will make a splendid father!

Make

Behave in a certain way;
Make merry

Make

Eliminate urine;
Again, the cat had made on the expensive rug

Common Curiosities

Can making be used as a noun?

Yes, making can function as a gerund, acting like a noun in sentences to describe the action or process of creation.

Is there a difference in usage between make and making in professional contexts?

Yes, "make" often appears in direct commands or steps, while "making" may discuss processes or theories in professional or creative fields.

Is making always part of continuous tenses?

Mostly, yes, but it can also be a gerund, acting like a noun in sentences.

How do make and making relate to each other in grammar?

"Making" is derived from "make," serving as its present participle form for continuous tenses or as a gerund.

How do you know when to use make or making in a sentence?

It depends on the tense and aspect: use "make" for simple tenses and "making" for continuous actions or as a gerund.

Can both make and making be followed by an object?

"Make" typically requires an object to complete its meaning, while "making" can be used without a direct object, especially when functioning as a gerund.

What is the main difference between make and making?

Make is the base verb form, indicating a single or general action, while making refers to the ongoing process or act of creation.

Can the use of make versus making change the focus of a sentence?

Yes, "make" focuses on the act of creation, while "making" highlights the ongoing process or engagement in that act.

Are there idiomatic expressions that use make and making differently?

Yes, idiomatic expressions may use both forms to convey different meanings or emphasize various aspects of creation or action.

Is it possible to use making without implying an ongoing action?

When used as a gerund, it may not directly imply action but rather the concept or act of creation as a subject.

How do different verb forms of make and making affect sentence structure?

They determine whether a sentence describes a single, completed action or an ongoing process, affecting verb tense and sentence flow.

Can the transition from make to making indicate a shift in perspective?

Yes, shifting from "make" to "making" can indicate a focus on the process or experience of creating rather than the completion of an action.

How do auxiliary verbs work with make and making?

Auxiliary verbs combine with "make" to form different tenses, while "making" typically requires a form of "to be" to indicate continuous action.

Does the context of use affect the choice between make and making?

Absolutely, the choice depends on whether the context requires indicating a specific action or discussing an ongoing or habitual process.

Can the preference for make or making reflect a speaker's intention?

Yes, choosing between "make" and "making" can reflect whether the speaker wants to emphasize a single action or the ongoing nature of an activity.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj Arif
Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.

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