Learn English – How to use “make” and/or “make for” in this sense

grammaridioms

Which of the following sentences are grammatically correct? Which ones are formal, idiomatic and proper to use in writing an essay?

  • What makes for a good job?
  • What makes a good job?
  • What does make a good job?
  • What does make for a good job?

Best Answer

To answer the questions you ask:

  1. Which of the following sentences are grammatically correct? The first two.
  2. Which ones are formal, idiomatic and proper to use in writing an essay? Again, the first two.

However, there's a question that hasn't been asked that should also be answered: "What's the difference between makes and makes for then?"

The phrase makes for has a more specific meaning that the word makes and in this context limits its definition to the following:

  • to help maintain or promote; further
  • to have or produce a particular effect or result

Asking "what makes for a good job?" is asking what causes (as a result) a job to be good and what maintains that goodness. Asking "what makes a good job?" expands the question to encompass its creation, development, composition, and so on.

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