A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

make amendments to something • make amends
for something
make amendments to something —correct smth., especially a
piece of writing: She made a few amendments to the letter
before signing it.
make amends for something —atone for the harm one has
done; make compensation for smth.: It made him wish to
make amends for his former unkindness to the boy.
make an end of something • put an end to
 something
make an end of something —abolish or eliminate smth.: The
new meaning of a word, whatever it may be, does not make
an end of the old.
put an end to something —stop smth. from happening any
more: The government is determined to put an end to terror-
ism.
make an exception for something • make an
 exception to something
make an exception for something —treat smth. as a special
case (as a token of particular favor or because of its unusual
quality): Miss Clark did not attend films of which she had
read the book, but she had made an exception for the trilogy.
make an exception to something —refrain from applying or
enforcing a rule, law, or any other set of regulations: He had
to get to the city of Berkeley to make an exeption to a food
regulation in order to serve coffee in his first shop.
Note:
The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase
take exception to something
— object to smth.; find fault with
smth.: Few people would take exception to a proposal for a
“common currency,” as a token of international exchange to
be used for convenience.
make an observation • take an observation
make an observation —(usually pl.) 
1
. monitor smth. carefully
in order to examine: Mr. Thornton made numerous observa-
tions of the snow-clad peak. 2. determine the position of the
sun or other heavenly body: An officer and two men were also
stationed on land and were prepared to make observations. 3.
make a remark or comment on smth.: Dr. Dreschfeld made
some observations on the symptoms, pathology, and treatment
of this disease.
take an observation —
1
. = make an observation 
1
: Dr. Spruce
took meteorological observations throughout the vast region
he traversed. 2. = make an observation 2: He can take an obser-
vation and is acquainted with that part of navigation called
plain sailing.