Cool MateAdjust vs Make it look right
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Adjust
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Make it look right
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Adjust
| Adjust | Make it look right | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈdʒʌst/","/əˈdʒʌsts/","/əˈdʒʌstɪd/","/əˈdʒʌstɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈdʒʌst/","/əˈdʒʌsts/","/əˈdʒʌstɪd/","/əˈdʒʌstɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //meɪk ɪt lʊk raɪt//🇺🇸 //meɪk ɪt lʊk raɪt// |
| Meaning | To change something slightly to make it better or more suitable. | Make something appear correct or proper. |
| Example | You need to adjust the brightness of your screen for better visibility. | You need to make it look right before the presentation. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | slightly, finely, automatically, for, quickly, rapidly, gradually, be difficult to, be hard to, need time to, to | make it look perfect, make it look easy, make it look professional, make it look nice, make it look better |
| Antonyms | ignore, neglect, remain unchanged | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'adapt', which means changing to fit new conditions., Using 'adjust' as a noun, e.g., 'the adjust needs to be made' instead of 'the adjustment needs to be made'., Incorrectly assuming 'adjust' needs a preposition, e.g., 'adjust to something' instead of just 'adjust something'. | Using 'make' with a different subject - it should be 'make it'., Confusing it with 'make it right' - 'look right' refers to appearance. |
| Usage notes | Use 'adjust' when talking about small changes. It's appropriate in both casual and formal contexts, but avoid using it in overly casual speech like slang conversations. | Use in situations where you want to improve appearance or quality. Suitable for both spoken and written contexts, but may feel informal. |
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Frequently asked questions: Adjust vs Make it look right
What's the difference between Adjust and Make it look right?
Adjust: To change something slightly to make it better or more suitable. Make it look right: Make something appear correct or proper.
Which is more common: Adjust and Make it look right?
Adjust is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Adjust: You need to adjust the brightness of your screen for better visibility. Make it look right: You need to make it look right before the presentation.
Can I use Adjust and Make it look right interchangeably?
Not always. Adjust and Make it look right are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.