“Make a mistake” means to do something wrong or get something wrong. We use it both for a small error in a text or a calculation and for a bad decision. In the plural: “make mistakes”.
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make a mistake (in/with + noun); make mistakes; make the mistake of + -ing; by mistake
- I made a mistake in the address, so the parcel went to the wrong street.
- I made the mistake of booking the cheapest flight, which left at five in the morning.
- Nobody enjoys making mistakes in front of the class, but that's how we learn.
What changed
First versionI often do mistakes with articles when I write fast.
RevisionI often make mistakes with articles when I write fast.
“Do mistakes” can seem logical, but “mistake”, like “decision” and “progress”, goes with “make”. The rest of the sentence was correct; only the verb needs to change.
“By mistake” means accidentally, when an action turns out different from what you intended: “I took your umbrella by mistake.” “Make the mistake of + -ing” means to do something you later regret, usually a bad choice: “I made the mistake of skipping breakfast before the exam.”
Your turn
Don't be afraid to speak. Every learner ___ at the beginning.
Show the answer
makes mistakes — “Mistake” goes with “make”, so the answer is “makes mistakes”. “Does mistakes” is a common error: English doesn't use this combination.
Write about a mistake you made at work or in your studies. Say what the mistake was and how you fixed it.
Last week I made a mistake with the total in a client's invoice, so I called her, apologised and sent a corrected version.
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