English Phrasal Verbs With “Turn”
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English vocabulary, especially for learners aiming to sound more natural in conversation. The verb “turn” combines with various prepositions or adverbs to form phrasal verbs with distinct meanings. Below is a comprehensive guide to phrasal verbs with “turn,” including definitions, examples, exercises, and answers.
1. Turn On
Meaning: To activate or start a device, light, or machine.
- Example: “Please turn on the TV; the news is about to start.”
- Example: “She turned on the lights as soon as she entered the room.”
Exercise:
Complete the sentence: “Can you _____ the heater? It’s cold in here.”
Answer:
“Can you turn on the heater? It’s cold in here.”
2. Turn Off
Meaning: To deactivate or stop a device, light, or machine.
- Example: “Don’t forget to turn off the oven after baking.”
- Example: “He turned off his phone during the meeting.”
Exercise:
Complete the sentence: “Please _____ the music; it’s too loud.”
Answer:
“Please turn off the music; it’s too loud.”
3. Turn Up
Meaning: To increase volume, intensity, or appear unexpectedly.
- Example: “Can you turn up the volume? I can’t hear the song.”
- Example: “He turned up at the party uninvited.”
Exercise:
Complete the sentence: “She _____ late to the meeting yesterday.”
Answer:
“She turned up late to the meeting yesterday.”
4. Turn Down
Meaning: To decrease volume, intensity, or reject an offer.
- Example: “Could you turn down the radio? It’s too noisy.”
- Example: “She turned down the job offer because of the low salary.”
Exercise:
Complete the sentence: “He _____ the promotion because he didn’t want to relocate.”
Answer:
“He turned down the promotion because he didn’t want to relocate.”
5. Turn Around
Meaning: To reverse direction or improve a situation.
- Example: “The driver turned around when he realized he was going the wrong way.”
- Example: “The company turned around its losses within a year.”
Exercise:
Complete the sentence: “After failing the first test, she managed to _____ her grades.”
Answer:
“After failing the first test, she managed to turn around her grades.”
6. Turn Out
Meaning: To result in a particular way or attend an event.
- Example: “The party turned out to be a great success.”
- Example: “Thousands of fans turned out for the concert.”
Exercise:
Complete the sentence: “It _____ that he was right all along.”
Answer:
“It turned out that he was right all along.”
7. Turn In
Meaning: To submit something or go to bed.
- Example: “Students must turn in their assignments by Friday.”
- Example: “I’m tired; I think I’ll turn in early tonight.”
Exercise:
Complete the sentence: “Don’t forget to _____ your report before leaving.”
Answer:
“Don’t forget to turn in your report before leaving.”
8. Turn Over
Meaning: To flip something or transfer responsibility.
- Example: “She turned over the pancake to cook the other side.”
- Example: “He turned over the project to his assistant.”
Exercise:
Complete the sentence: “The chef _____ the steak to ensure it was evenly cooked.”
Answer:
“The chef turned over the steak to ensure it was evenly cooked.”
Summary Table of Phrasal Verbs With “Turn”
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Turn On | Activate a device | “Turn on the lights.” |
| Turn Off | Deactivate a device | “Turn off the TV.” |
| Turn Up | Increase volume or appear | “Turn up the music.” |
| Turn Down | Decrease volume or reject | “Turn down the offer.” |
| Turn Around | Reverse or improve | “Turn around the business.” |
| Turn Out | Result or attend | “It turned out well.” |
| Turn In | Submit or go to bed | “Turn in your homework.” |
| Turn Over | Flip or transfer | “Turn over the document.” |
Final Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb:
- “She _____ the job offer because it required too much travel.”
- “The magician _____ the card to reveal the ace of spades.”
- “We didn’t expect so many people to _____ for the event.”
Answers:
- “She turned down the job offer because it required too much travel.”
- “The magician turned over the card to reveal the ace of spades.”
- “We didn’t expect so many people to turn out for the event.”