To Do or Create?
2023-01-14
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1Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question about the difference between "create" and "do."
2Hello Learning English,
3I would like to ask you about the word "essay."
4Do we say, "create an essay" or "do an essay?"
5Thank you for your help,
6Mekhpara
7Dear Mekhpara,
8This is a great question, and one that we actually have not talked about.
9Your question is less about the word "essay," and more about the choice of which verb to use, "do" or "create."
10Let's look at each of these more closely. Let's start with "do."
11The verb "do" is an irregular verb that has many uses.
12We use "do" for actions that we are required or must do and for general activities that we often repeat.
13I will do the dishes tonight after dinner.
14We also use "do" to show the completion or achievement of things.
15Is that report done?
16Sometimes we use "do" for talking about a job or for studying.
17What did you do at your last job?
18We can use "do" to mean "produce" something, like an essay or something artistic. We use it in place of more specific verbs that focus on the operative action.
19Using "do" focuses more on the general action or completion of the action.
20I'm doing my essay this weekend, so I do not have to worry about it over spring break.
21I'm writing my essay this weekend, so I do not have to worry about it over spring break.
22She did the painting in watercolors.
23She painted in watercolors.
24This brings us to "create."
25To "create" something means to bring something new into existence.
26When we think of "create," we think of something new that has not been produced before.
27To "create" something requires imagination, a special skill or talent, a new method, or a unique process.
28Heather likes to create new dances for her students.
29She created the recipe from just 5 simple ingredients.
30We can "create" an essay.
31For example, your teacher might ask you to "create" an essay about a problem or a solution.
32But think about the actions that you perform to "create" the essay.
33You might research the subject, form ideas about how to express yourself and more.
34Yet finally, to create an essay you must write.
35This is the required action and the more specific verb.
36So just like "do" is a less specific verb, here "create" is the less specific verb for the entire process of writing an essay.
37Tony is writing an essay about climate change.
38I wrote many essays in college.
39Please let us know if these explanations and examples have helped you, Mekhpara.
40What question do you have about American English? Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com
41And that's Ask a Teacher.
42I'm Faith Pirlo.
1Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question about the difference between "create" and "do." 2Question 3Hello Learning English, 4I would like to ask you about the word "essay." Do we say, "create an essay" or "do an essay?" 5Thank you for your help, 6Mekhpara 7Answer 8Dear Mekhpara, 9This is a great question, and one that we actually have not talked about. Your question is less about the word "essay," and more about the choice of which verb to use, "do" or "create." 10Let's look at each of these more closely. Let's start with "do." 11Do 12The verb "do" is an irregular verb that has many uses. 13We use "do" for actions that we are required or must do and for general activities that we often repeat. 14I will do the dishes tonight after dinner. 15We also use "do" to show the completion or achievement of things. 16Is that report done? 17Sometimes we use "do" for talking about a job or for studying. 18What did you do at your last job? 19We can use "do" to mean "produce" something, like an essay or something artistic. We use it in place of more specific verbs that focus on the operative action. Using "do" focuses more on the general action or completion of the action. 20I'm doing my essay this weekend, so I do not have to worry about it over spring break. 21I'm writing my essay this weekend, so I do not have to worry about it over spring break. 22She did the painting in watercolors. 23She painted in watercolors. 24This brings us to "create." 25Create 26To "create" something means to bring something new into existence. When we think of "create," we think of something new that has not been produced before. 27To "create" something requires imagination, a special skill or talent, a new method, or a unique process. 28Heather likes to create new dances for her students. 29She created the recipe from just 5 simple ingredients. 30We can "create" an essay. For example, your teacher might ask you to "create" an essay about a problem or a solution. 31But think about the actions that you perform to "create" the essay. You might research the subject, form ideas about how to express yourself and more. Yet finally, to create an essay you must write. This is the required action and the more specific verb. 32So just like "do" is a less specific verb, here "create" is the less specific verb for the entire process of writing an essay. 33Tony is writing an essay about climate change. 34I wrote many essays in college. 35Please let us know if these explanations and examples have helped you, Mekhpara. 36What question do you have about American English? Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com 37And that's Ask a Teacher. 38I'm Faith Pirlo. 39Faith Pirlo wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. 40___________________________________________________________________ 41Words in This Story 42essay - n. a piece of writing that tells a person's thoughts or opinions about a subject 43irregular - adj. not following the usual rules about what should be done 44achievement - n. a thing that is completed successfully 45watercolors - n. colored paints combined with water or a wet brush to create an effect 46unique - adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else 47ingredient - n. one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc 48_________________________________________________________________ 49Do you have a question for the teacher? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 50Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.