make about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "make about" is not a correct and usable phrase in written English.
In English, the phrase "make up" would be used instead. For example: I made up a story about a magical kingdom for my daughter.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The ushers make about $72 per game.

The New York Times

Physicians often consult each other to help with the decisions they make about care.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

You will make about 10k.

WikiHow

I make about £300 a week.

Independent

Two points to make about that.

The Guardian - Opinion

The guards make about $100 a month.

The New York Times

You should make about 12 of them.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I make about 1,000 pieces.

The New York Times

They make about £80,000 from them.

The Guardian - Music

His machines make about a ton of glitter every week.

The New Yorker

If I win, I'll make about six or seven thousand".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "make about" in formal writing. Instead, use more precise alternatives like "make approximately", "produce around", or rephrase the sentence for clarity.

Common error

Many writers incorrectly use "make about" assuming it's a standard phrase for approximation. To avoid this, always double-check your grammar and consider using more accurate alternatives such as "approximately", "around", or "roughly" after the verb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make about" attempts to function as a quantifier or approximator, indicating an estimation or rough calculation. However, it is grammatically unsound. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect, suggesting the use of alternatives like "make approximately" or rephrasing for clarity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Wiki

33%

Science

21%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "make about" appears frequently across various sources, including news, wikis, and scientific articles, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests opting for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives such as "make approximately", "produce around", or rephrasing the sentence to enhance clarity. It is advisable to avoid "make about" in formal writing and professional communication to maintain credibility and precision. Given its ambiguous nature, selecting a more accurate alternative ensures effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

estimate roughly

This alternative focuses on providing a rough estimate, replacing "make" with "estimate" and "about" with "roughly".

approximate closely

This emphasizes a close approximation, substituting "make" with "approximate" and refining "about" to "closely".

generate around

This focuses on production or creation, using "generate" instead of "make" and "around" in place of "about" to indicate approximation.

produce approximately

This highlights the act of production, replacing "make" with "produce" and specifying the approximation with "approximately".

create something like

This emphasizes the act of creating something with an element of approximation.

form in the vicinity of

This phrase is suitable for more formal or technical contexts where precise location or quantity is not critical.

yield nearly

Focuses on the result or output, suggesting a return that is close to a specific value.

account for almost

This phrase is useful when describing proportions or percentages that are near a certain value.

consider regarding

Focuses on the topic or subject being taken into account, rather than a numerical estimation.

decide concerning

Emphasizes the decision-making process related to a particular topic or issue.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "make about" in a sentence?

Replace "make about" with a more grammatically sound alternative. Options include "make approximately", "produce around", or restructure the sentence to use "around" or "approximately" with the main verb.

What is a more formal way to express the idea of "make about"?

In formal contexts, prefer phrases such as "estimate approximately", "yield nearly", or "account for almost" to maintain a professional tone.

Is "make about" ever considered correct in English?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "make about" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. While it appears in some contexts, it is advisable to use more standard alternatives for clarity and correctness.

What alternatives to "make about" can I use when describing quantities?

When discussing quantities, you can use phrases like "approximately", "around", or "in the vicinity of" to convey a similar meaning with better grammatical accuracy.