Phrasal Verbs With Turn
Common short verbs are often used with prepositions and adverb particles to make two-word verbs. These are called phrasal verbs or prepositional verbs.
Phrasal verbs are especially common in informal speech and writing.
In English there are several phrasal verbs using the word turn. Can you use them correctly?
Phrasal Verbs With Turn
Turn around
To turn around while driving is to change direction.
- We turned around when we realized that we were going the wrong way.
When a failing business turns around it becomes successful.
- The new manager worked hard to turn the company around.
Turn away
To turn somebody away is to prevent them from entering a place.
- You can’t go to that club if you are under 18. They will turn you away at the door.
Turn down
To turn volume down is to reduce it.
- Will you turn the music down? I can’t work.
To turn down an offer is to reject it.
- I can’t believe that you turned down a great offer like that.
- Peter asked Jane out to dinner but she turned him down.
Turn in
To turn in an assignment is to submit it to your teacher.
- I have to turn in my essay tomorrow and I haven’t started writing it yet.
Turn in can also mean go to bed.
- I have to finish this project so I am going to turn in late tonight.
To turn somebody in is to deliver them to the police.
- The gangster was turned in by members of his own gang.
Turn into
To turn into something is to become it.
- By dint of his hard work, he turned into a successful businessman.
Turn on
To turn a device on is to start it.
- Should I turn the heating on?
Turn on
If something turns you on, it makes you sexually aroused.
Turn-off
If something turns you off, it makes you lose interest in it.
- Loud and bright colours always turn me off.
Turn out
An expression used to refer to the surprising end result of something.
- We trusted him but it turned out that he was a spy.
Turn up
To turn up is to arrive.
- I invited all of my friends for my birthday but none of them turned up.
