22 common Phrasal Verb Turn and Exercises

Turn against, turn in, turn away, turn around, turn down... are some of the phrasal verbs commonly encountered in exams or everyday communication. Let's summarize and memorize the Phrasal Verbs with "Turn" in the following article, and also practice exercises to remember them right away!

I. What does "Turn" mean?

Turn - /tɜːrn/ serves as a verb or noun. "Turn" is often used with the following meanings:

• As a verb, "turn" has the meanings of:

  • Changing direction, rotating, twisting. For example: He turned the fan knob to reduce the wind.

  • To become, to change into, to reach. For example: I'll be turning 24 at the end of this month. 

• As a noun, "turn" has the meanings of: a turn, rotation, direction, development. For example:

  • It's your turn to report.

  • The dial clock makes one full turn every minute. 

  • It's your turn to shine on your work. 

II. Phrasal Verbs with "Turn" in English

Here is a compilation of the most commonly used Phrasal Verbs with "Turn" in English:

1. Turn around

The first Phrasal Verb with "Turn" that PREP introduces is "Turn Around." So, what does "Turn Around" mean? This English phrase means to turn back and improve a situation from bad to good. For example:

• Tommy’s car turned around at the end of the street.

• The PREP company managed to turn around its financial situation. 

2. Turn around to

What about "Turn Around To"? "Turn Around To" means to turn back to look at or speak to someone. For example:

• She turned around to see who was calling her name. 

• Jack turned around to me and said, "What did you say? 

3. Turn back

Next, what does "Turn Back" mean? "Turn Back" means to reverse direction or go back. For example:

• We had to turn back because the road was a traffic jam. 

• The plane had to turn back due to bad weather. 

4. Turn back on

What does "Turn Back On" mean? "Turn Back On" means to turn your back on someone or something; to abandon someone or to give up on something; to ignore or disregard someone or something. For example:

• Bella felt betrayed when her best friend turned back on her. 

• The Kings Joint Stock Technology company turned back on its promise to invest in the community. 

5. Turn on

What does "Turn On" mean? The Phrasal Verb "Turn On" has the following meanings:

6. Turn on to

What does "Turn On To" mean? "Turn On To" means to make someone interested or enthusiastic about something, or to introduce someone to something or someone.

For example:

• My friend turned me on to a new boyfriend. 

• I've recently turned on to yoga and find it very relaxing. 

7. Turn off

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn Off" mean? "Turn Off" means to switch off (electricity or machinery), or to stop using something.

For example: 

• I try to turn off my phone before 10 PM. 

• I always turn off the lights before leaving the room. 

8. Turn off to

What does "Turn Off To" mean? "Turn Off To" means to dislike or to not be interested in something.

For example:

• I'm really turned off to horror movies. 

• Anna's turned off to his rude behavior. 

9. Turn up

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn Up" mean? "Turn Up" means to increase the volume or to appear suddenly.

For example:

• I can't hear the news. Please turn up the volume. 

• The missing child turned up in the forest safe and sound after three days. 

10. Turn up for

What does "Turn Up For" mean? "Turn Up For" means to appear or attend, emphasizing participation in a specific event.

For example:

• Tom didn't turn up for the important meeting yesterday.

• A lot of people turned up for Lisa's concert yesterday. 

11. Turn up with

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn Up With" mean? "Turn Up With" means to appear or arrive with someone or to bring something along.

For example:

• John turned up with a bunch of flowers for her birthday. 

• Bella turned up with a new boyfriend at the party. 

12. Turn down

One commonly used Phrasal Verb with "Turn" is "Turn Down." What does "Turn Down" mean? "Turn Down" means to lower the volume or to reject an offer.

For example:

• The music is too loud. Could you turn it down? 

• She turned down the content job offer because the salary was too low.

13. Turn in

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn In" mean? "Turn In" means to submit, return something, confess, hand someone over to authorities, or to go to bed.

For example: 

• I need to turn in this traffic website report by tomorrow. 

• I'm so exhausted. I think I'll turn in early tonight. 

14. Turn in on

What does "Turn In On" mean? "Turn In On" means to withdraw, engage less with society, and focus on oneself.

For example:

• She's been turning in on herself since her first love breakup. 

• Tim tends to turn in on himself when he's stressed. 

15. Turn in for

What does "Turn In For" mean? "Turn In For" means to go to bed, emphasizing rest.

For example:

• I'm so tired. I think I'll turn in for the night. 

• It's getting late. Let's turn in for the night. 

16. Turn into

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn Into" mean? "Turn Into" means to change into or transform into something.

For example:

• The caterpillar will turn into a butterfly when given enough time. 

• The old flat was turned into a shopping mall. 

17. Turn out

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn Out" mean? "Turn Out" means to produce, organize, or to result in something.

For example:

• The bakery turns out fresh bread every morning. 

• It turned out that he was the thief all along. 

18. Turn out for

What does "Turn Out For" mean? "Turn Out For" means to participate or attend an event.

For example:

• Everyone in my company turned out for the charity event. 

• The product content team did not turned out for the meeting. 

19. Turn over

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn Over" mean? "Turn Over" means to change the position of a person or object; to switch channels; to think carefully.

For example: 

• She turned over in bed and tried to go back to sleep. 

• This show is boring; let’s turn over to the sports channel. 

• He kept turning over the problem in his mind, trying to find a solution. 

20. Turn to

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn To" mean? "Turn To" means to look for (in a book), to rely on, or to consult.

For example:

• She turned to the last chapter of the book to find the ending. 

• When I'm in trouble, I always turn to my boyfriend for advice. 

21. Turn against

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn Against" mean? "Turn Against" means to become an enemy, to oppose, or to turn away from someone or something.

For example: 

• The people of this country turned against the government after the economic crisis. 

• John and his brother turned against each other over their inheritance. 

22. Turn away

What does the Phrasal Verb "Turn Away" mean? "Turn Away" means to turn your face away to avoid seeing something or to refuse someone entry.

For example: 

• She had to turn away from the screen during the scary movie. 

• The bouncer turned us away at the entrance because we weren't on the guest list. 

III. Phrasal Verb Turn Practice with Detailed Answers

Let's practice some exercises below to fully understand the meanings and uses of the Phrasal Verbs with "Turn." Mastering these phrases will help you communicate effectively in English and achieve high scores. Let's get started!

1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate Phrasal Verb:

1. It was getting dark so he got up and________the light.

2. These feelings of fear and helplessness may________anger.

3. You must be tired. Why don't you________now?

4. The case was________to another officer.

5. She parked outside the garage and________the engine.

6. They tried to board a ferry but were________by the captain.

7. After a bad period, the company is finally starting to________.

8. “Did you accept their offer?” - “Yes, it was too good to________”.

9. If I had not gone to visit her, things would have________differently.

10. We don't know how much food to prepare because we're not sure how many people will________.

2. Choose the correct Phrasal Verb:

3. Answer keys

This article includes the meanings, usage, examples, and exercises related to common Phrasal Verbs with "Turn" in English. Make sure to memorize the 20+ Phrasal Verbs related to "Turn" to communicate effectively and achieve high scores in your practical exams.