10 Common Mistakes with Verb + Noun

This list shows you the ten mistakes that advanced students most often make when they choose a verb to go with a noun. In most cases it is clear what the student means, but the problem is that the combination of verb +noun that they have used is not a collocation, does not sound natural, and is considered to be incorrect. In each case, a more natural verb + noun combination with the same meaning is shown under the incorrect combination.

1) Noun: experience
Example:
✗ I know several people who have made the same experience.
✓ I know several people who have had the same experience.
2) Noun: friend
Example:
✗ I found it difficult to find friends and felt very lonely.
✓ I found it difficult to make friends and felt very lonely.
3) Noun: research
Example:
✗ It is impossible to make any research without the Internet.
✓ It is impossible to do any research without the Internet.
4) Noun: work
Example:
✗ Francesca makes her work very efficiently.
✓ Francesca does her work very efficiently.
5) Noun: mistake
Example:
✗ People often do the same mistakes.
✓ People often make the same mistakes.
6) Noun: survey
Example:
✗ I made a survey of the level of job satisfaction in our department.
✓ I carried out/did a survey of the level of job satisfaction in our department.
7) Noun: effort
Example:
✗ It is worth doing an effort to live a healthier life.
✓ It is worth making an effort to live a healthier life.
8) Noun: child/children/baby
Example:
✗ They married young, got two children, and led an ordinary life.
✓ They married young, had two children, and led an ordinary life.
9) Noun: business
Example:
✗ I spent two days in the office making business by phone.
✓ I spent two days in the office conducting/doing business by phone.
10) Noun: change
Example:
✗ They suggested doing some changes to the schedule.
✓ They suggested making some changes to the schedule.
Source: Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary