These questions ask you to identify the particular change expressed by a turn phrasal verb. Look beyond the general idea of movement and name the resulting state, direction, relationship or response.
Name the change before choosing the particle
Use a two-step method. First ask what changes: power, willingness, presence, form, physical side, facing direction, knowledge, daily activity, allegiance, access, source of help or travel direction. Then check the sentence pattern. Some forms take an object and can separate, as in turn it on, turn the invitation down and turn them away. Others keep their complement after the complete phrase, as in turn against them or turn to her, while several need no object at all.
| Change signal | Form and a fresh example |
|---|---|
| Start a device | turn on — Ravi turned the heater on. |
| Refuse an offer or request | turn down — Bea turned the invitation down. |
| Arrive, often unexpectedly | turn up — Two extra guests turned up. |
| Become or transform into something else | turn into — The path turned into a muddy track. |
| Flip to the other side | turn over — Turn the card over. |
| Rotate to face the opposite way, or reverse a bad situation | turn around — Sal turned around; the new manager turned the shop around. |
| Prove to be so in the end | turn out — The rumour turned out to be false. |
| Go to bed | turn in — I usually turn in before eleven. |
| Become hostile to someone | turn against — His allies turned against him. |
| Refuse someone entry | turn away — The venue turned latecomers away. |
| Go to someone for help or support | turn to — Luisa turned to a friend for advice. |
| Return by the way already travelled | turn back — Fog forced the boat to turn back. |
Meaning traps to avoid
| Tempting mix-up | How to reject it |
|---|---|
| Choosing turn off when power must start | On changes a device from inactive to active. Off makes the reverse change, so identify the required final power state. |
| Reading every turn up as an increase | For a person, turn up can mean arrive. If the subject appears at a place, no change of volume or position is required. |
| Confusing turn over with turn around | Over exposes the other side of an object. Around changes the direction someone faces or reverses how a situation is developing. |
| Using turn up for a final discovery | Turn out introduces what proves true in the end. Turn up concerns arrival in this meaning family. |
| Confusing the end of a day with reversal of a journey | Turn in means go to bed. Turn back means reverse direction and return along the route already taken. |
| Treating hostility, denied access and help-seeking as one relationship | Turn against marks new hostility, turn away denies entry, and turn to identifies the person approached for help or support. |
Try it
The university offered Niko a place, but he refused it. Using turn, complete the sentence: Niko ___ the offer.
Which sentences use turn into with the meaning become or transform into? Select all that apply.
- By dawn, the water had turned into solid ice.
- The taxi turned into a narrow side street.
- They turned the spare studio into a nursery.
- When the code failed, Priya turned to a colleague.
When the tax form became confusing, Mei went to her accountant for help. Using turn, complete: Mei ___ her accountant.