Make a photo or take a photo?: Common English Mistakes
- Mark Connolly
- Feb 19
- 2 min read
Common Mistakes: Why we "Take" photos instead of "Making" them
🎥 Watch the video version of this lesson above!
Many English learners translate directly from their own language when talking about photography.
In many languages, you "make" a picture.
However, in English, using the word "make" sounds a bit strange to a native speaker.
Let's look at why we use "take" instead.
Creation vs. Capture 💡
The easiest way to remember the difference is to think about the action itself.
When to use "Make"
We usually use "make" when we are creating something new that didn't exist before, often with our hands.
"I make a cup of coffee."
"I make a cake for the party."
When to use "Take"
We use "take" for actions where we are "capturing" a moment or "grabbing" information.
"I take a photo of the sunset."
"I take a note during the meeting."
Collocations Matter
In English, some words just "stick" together. These are called collocations.
"Take a photo" is a fixed collocation.
Even if you are an artist who "makes" beautiful images, the act of pressing the button on your camera is always taking a photo.
Your Turn
Let's practice! What was the last thing you saw that made you want to grab your phone?
Do you prefer to take photos of people or take photos of nature?
Tell me in the comments down below!
🎯 Want to Improve Faster?
If you enjoy these lessons and want to improve your English more quickly, you can book 1-to-1 lessons with me through my website. 👉 Visit www.onyourmarksenglish.com
Comments