Do What MAKES You Happy: Grammar Rules That Matter

The phrase "do what makes you happy" appears in countless motivational posts, self-help books, and casual conversations. Yet a surprising number of English speakers—including native speakers—struggle with whether to use "make" or "makes" in this construction. This grammatical uncertainty reveals a deeper misunderstanding of subject-verb agreement rules that affects professional communication, academic writing, and everyday expression.

Understanding this specific grammar point matters because it reflects your command of English fundamentals. When you write "do what make you happy" instead of "do what makes you happy," you signal to readers that you haven't mastered basic subject-verb agreement. This perception carries consequences in professional settings, academic environments, and any context where credibility depends on linguistic precision.

The Definitive Answer: "Makes" Is Always Correct

"Do what makes you happy" is the only grammatically correct form. The verb "makes" must agree with its subject "what," which functions as a singular pronoun in this context. This rule applies regardless of whether you're writing formally or informally, speaking to one person or many, or using the phrase as advice or a statement.

The confusion stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of how subject-verb agreement works in relative clauses. Many speakers incorrectly assume that "make" should agree with "you" because it appears closer to the verb. This proximity trap leads to the grammatical error that undermines otherwise clear communication.

Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement in Relative Clauses

Subject-verb agreement requires verbs to match their subjects in number and person. In the phrase "do what makes you happy," the relative pronoun "what" serves as the subject of the verb "makes." The word "you" functions as the direct object of "makes," not its subject.

Consider this breakdown:

"Do what makes you happy"
Subject of "makes": what (singular)
Direct object of "makes": you
Object of the entire phrase: happy

The relative pronoun "what" always takes singular verb forms in standard English. This rule remains consistent across all contexts, making "what makes" the universal correct choice over "what make."

Why "What" Takes Singular Verbs

The relative pronoun "what" introduces a noun clause that functions as a single unit of meaning. Even when "what" refers to multiple things conceptually, it grammatically behaves as singular. This principle explains why we say "what matters is..." rather than "what matter are..." and "what counts is..." rather than "what count are..."

This grammatical behavior distinguishes "what" from other relative pronouns like "which" or "that," which can take singular or plural verbs depending on their antecedents. "What" lacks a specific antecedent and instead represents an entire concept or set of things treated as a unified whole.

The consistency of this rule eliminates ambiguity in professional writing. Technical documentation, business correspondence, and academic papers all benefit from this grammatical predictability. When you consistently use "what makes" instead of alternating between forms, readers focus on your content rather than questioning your grammar.

Common Mistakes and Their Origins

The "what make" error persists because English speakers often rely on proximity rather than grammatical analysis when choosing verb forms. The word "you" sits directly adjacent to the verb position, creating an intuitive but incorrect assumption about subject-verb relationships.

This proximity confusion manifests in several related constructions:

Incorrect: "Do whatever make you comfortable"
Correct: "Do whatever makes you comfortable"
Incorrect: "Say what make sense to you"
Correct: "Say what makes sense to you"

Second-language learners face additional challenges because many languages handle relative pronouns differently. Spanish speakers might struggle because "lo que" can take plural verbs in certain contexts. French speakers encounter similar issues with "ce qui" constructions that don't directly parallel English usage patterns.

The rise of informal digital communication has reinforced these errors. Social media posts, text messages, and casual emails often skip grammatical precision in favor of speed. However, this informality doesn't change the underlying rules—it simply creates more opportunities for mistakes to spread and become normalized.

Regional and Dialectal Variations

Standard American English and British English both require "makes" in these constructions. However, some regional dialects and varieties of English exhibit different patterns that can influence speaker intuitions about correctness.

Certain dialects spoken in rural areas of the American South historically used "what make" constructions, though these patterns are disappearing in formal contexts. Similarly, some Caribbean English varieties show different subject-verb agreement patterns that can create confusion for speakers transitioning to standard academic or professional English.

These dialectal influences explain why even native speakers sometimes hesitate over the correct form. The key insight is that formal written English maintains consistent standards regardless of regional spoken variations. Professional communication, academic writing, and published content all follow the same subject-verb agreement rules.

Professional and Academic Implications

Using "what make" instead of "what makes" in professional contexts signals grammatical uncertainty that can undermine credibility. Business emails, reports, presentations, and formal documents all require precise subject-verb agreement to maintain professional standards.

Academic writing demands particular attention to these details because grammatical errors distract from intellectual content. Research papers, thesis statements, and scholarly articles lose impact when basic grammar rules are violated. Graduate programs and academic publishers maintain strict standards that include correct relative pronoun usage.

International business contexts amplify these concerns because non-native English speakers often possess strong grammatical knowledge that exceeds that of careless native speakers. When native speakers make basic subject-verb agreement errors, they appear less competent than their multilingual colleagues who have studied English grammar systematically.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Mastering "what makes" versus "what make" requires understanding the underlying grammatical principle rather than memorizing specific phrases. Focus on identifying the true subject of each verb rather than relying on word proximity or intuitive feel.

Practice exercises should emphasize subject identification in complex sentences. Break down constructions like "Do what makes you happy" into their component parts: main clause ("Do what"), relative clause ("what makes you happy"), and internal relationships (subject "what," verb "makes," object "you").

Reading high-quality published material reinforces correct patterns through exposure. Professional journalism, academic writing, and edited books consistently model proper subject-verb agreement in relative clauses. This exposure builds intuitive recognition of correct forms.

Contextual Applications and Variations

The "what makes" construction appears in numerous contexts beyond the motivational phrase "do what makes you happy." Understanding the grammatical principle enables correct usage across all variations:

Professional advice contexts use this pattern frequently. Career counselors write "pursue what makes you fulfilled" and "choose what makes you productive." Business coaches recommend "focus on what makes you valuable" and "develop what makes you irreplaceable." Each instance requires "makes" because "what" serves as the singular subject.

Academic discussions employ similar constructions when analyzing causation and motivation. Psychology papers examine "what makes behavior change" and "what makes learning effective." Educational research investigates "what makes teaching successful" and "what makes students engaged." The grammatical rule remains constant across all disciplines.

Personal development content relies heavily on these patterns. Self-help authors encourage readers to "discover what makes you unique" and "embrace what makes you different." Therapy discussions explore "what makes you anxious" and "what makes you confident." The consistent use of "makes" maintains grammatical precision across emotional and analytical contexts.

Technical Grammar Analysis

The grammatical relationship in "what makes you happy" involves a free relative clause where "what" functions simultaneously as the relative pronoun and the antecedent. This dual function creates the noun clause that serves as the direct object of the imperative verb "do."

The internal structure of the relative clause follows standard English word order: subject ("what") + verb ("makes") + direct object ("you") + object complement ("happy"). This analysis confirms that "what" controls verb agreement, not "you."

Transformational grammar analysis reveals the underlying structure more clearly. The phrase "what makes you happy" derives from something like "the thing that makes you happy," where "what" represents both "the thing" and "that." This dual function explains why "what" takes singular agreement despite potentially referring to multiple things.

Comparative Linguistic Perspectives

English relative pronoun systems differ significantly from other languages, creating learning challenges for multilingual speakers. Romance languages often allow verb agreement with logical rather than grammatical subjects, making English subject-verb agreement seem arbitrary.

Germanic languages share some patterns with English but handle indefinite relatives differently. German "was" and Dutch "wat" create similar confusion points for speakers learning English grammar rules. These cross-linguistic influences explain persistent errors even among advanced English users.

Understanding these comparative differences helps explain why "what make" errors occur predictably among speakers of certain language backgrounds. Recognition of these patterns enables more effective teaching strategies that address specific interference points.

Digital Age Considerations

Social media and informal digital communication have created new contexts where grammatical precision competes with speed and casualness. However, the fundamental rules remain unchanged regardless of medium or audience expectations.

Professional social media presence requires the same grammatical standards as traditional business communication. LinkedIn posts, professional Twitter content, and business blog articles all demand correct subject-verb agreement to maintain credibility with professional audiences.

The permanence of digital communication adds importance to grammatical accuracy. Emails, documents, and social media posts create lasting records that reflect on professional competence long after initial composition. Consistent attention to grammar rules prevents embarrassing mistakes that undermine professional reputation.

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