ENGLISH
REFERENCE

good deed

compound.
B1 Intermediate General-service
Definition

compound. a kind or helpful act that you do for someone else without expecting a reward.

compound. an act of altruism or kindness performed for the benefit of another. Often used in the context of moral duty or daily habits of helpfulness.


SIMPLE

He did a good deed by helping the old lady cross the street.

CONTEXTUAL

She tries to do at least one good deed every day, like donating food or helping a neighbor.

COMPLEX

The protagonist's single good deed in the final chapter serves as a moment of redemption for his earlier transgressions.

Usage

usually follows the verb 'do' rather than 'make'.

Teaching tip

anchor this to the Boy Scout motto 'Do a good turn daily' to help students remember the collocation with 'do'.

Pitfall

I made a good deed today.I did a good deed today.English uses the verb 'do' for actions and tasks like 'deeds', whereas 'make' is for creating physical objects.

Last updated July 29, 2026