When learning English, we often notice that some verbs gain completely different meanings when combined with different prepositions. One of these verbs is undoubtedly “turn.” While the word “turn” on its own can be used in basic senses such as “to rotate,” “to spin,” or “to flip,” it forms many phrasal verbs that are incredibly common in everyday English when paired with various prepositions. Therefore, learning phrasal verbs created with “turn” is a major step toward using English more naturally and fluently.
Phrasal verbs are structures frequently used in English-speaking environments and form an essential part of daily communication. These expressions—which we often come across in TV shows, movies, songs, and daily conversations—usually carry meanings that are quite different from the individual definitions of the words themselves. That’s why simply knowing the basic meaning of the verb “turn” might not be enough; it is also necessary to learn common uses such as “turn up,” “turn down,” “turn into,” or “turn out.”
In this blog post, we will explore the most common phrasal verbs formed with “turn,” along with their Turkish meanings and real-life example sentences showing how they are used in daily life. This way, you can both expand your vocabulary and start understanding and using English in a much more natural way!
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Most Common “Turn” Phrasal Verbs and Their Meanings
Here are the most commonly used phrasal verbs starting with “turn”, their meanings and examples:
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Turn on | To switch something on | Please turn on the lights. |
| Turn off | To switch something off | Don't forget to turn off the TV before you leave. |
| Turn up | To increase the volume or appear unexpectedly | Can you turn up the music? |
| Turn down | To reduce the volume or refuse something | She turned down the job offer. |
| Turn into | To become or change into something | The caterpillar turned into a butterfly. |
| Turn around | To change direction or face the opposite way | Turn around and look at the beautiful view. |
| Turn back | To return to the place you came from | We had to turn back because of the heavy rain. |
| Turn out | To result in or prove to be | The meeting turned out better than expected. |
| Turn over | To flip something over or hand it to someone | Turn over the page to continue reading. |
| Turn against | To begin opposing someone | Some of his friends turned against him. |
| Turn to | To ask someone for help or support | She turned to her parents for advice. |
| Turn in | To submit something or go to bed | Please turn in your homework by Friday. |
| Turn away | To refuse entry or send someone away | They turned away several customers. |
| Turn out for | To attend or participate in an event | Thousands of fans turned out for the concert. |
| Turn up at | To arrive unexpectedly | He turned up at my house without calling. |
| Turn over to | To give responsibility or control to someone | He turned the project over to his colleague. |
| Turn against each other | To become enemies or oppose one another | The brothers turned against each other after the argument. |
| Turn out to be | To be discovered or proven to be | The movie turned out to be really interesting. |
| Turn down the chance | To refuse an opportunity | He turned down the chance to study abroad. |
Frequently Asked Questions About Phrasal Verbs Starting with “Turn” in English
Let’s take a look at the most frequently asked questions about phrasal verbs starting with “turn” together!
Is “turn up” and “turn down” only used for changing the volume?
No! Besides adjusting volume and heat, “turn up” also means “to show up or appear unexpectedly,” while “turn down”means “to reject or refuse” an offer or invitation.
What is the difference between “turn into” and “turn out”?
“Turn into” means for something to physically or qualities-wise “change or transform into something else.” On the other hand, “turn out” means for a situation to “result or end up” in a certain way, usually unexpectedly.
Is there a difference between “turn on/off” and “switch on/off”?
There is no difference in meaning; both are used to “open/close (turn on/turn off)” electronic devices. However, in casual slang, “turn on” can also mean to feel attracted to or excited by someone.
Can an object go between the words in a “turn” phrasal verb?
Yes, many of them can take an object in the middle. For example, you can say both “Turn down the music” and “Turn the music down.” However, if the object is a pronoun like me, you, or it, it must always go in the middle (Turn it down).
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