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make money — earn money

collocationB1IELTS 5.5+neutralcommon

to earn money, especially through work or business

Say it like a native

Textbook They generate revenue through advertising.

Native They make money from ads.

'Make money' is the everyday phrase; 'generate revenue' is business-report register (fine in writing, stiff in chat).

Pattern: make money (from / out of something)

In use

  • She makes money by selling handmade jewellery online.money
  • A lot of young people now try to make money online instead of taking a traditional office job.IELTS Part 3

Common mistake

✗ He does a lot of money online.

✓ He makes a lot of money online.

We MAKE money, never 'do money'.

Common collocations

  • make money + source — from ads, online, on the side, from investments

Don't confuse it

Generating income, especially from business, rather than receiving a fixed wage.

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