A2 phrase 3 دقیقه مطالعه

turn on

To make a machine or light start working.

تمرین کن

توضیح در سطح شما:

When you want a light or a machine to work, you turn it on. You push a button or flip a switch. For example, 'Please turn on the light.' It is very easy to use every day!

You use turn on for electronics. If your computer is off, you turn it on to start working. You can also say 'turn the computer on.' Remember, if you use 'it,' say 'turn it on.'

Beyond simple machines, you can use turn on in figurative ways. For instance, you might 'turn on the charm' to be persuasive. It is a versatile phrasal verb that is essential for intermediate fluency.

At this level, notice how turn on can imply a sudden change in behavior, such as 'turning on' an opponent. It carries a nuance of suddenness or activation that is useful in storytelling and professional communication.

Advanced users understand the subtle register shifts. While 'activate' or 'initiate' might be used in technical manuals, 'turn on' remains the standard for human-machine interaction. Its flexibility allows for idiomatic usage that adds color to your English.

Mastery of turn on involves recognizing its role in phrasal verb syntax, specifically regarding object placement. Its evolution from mechanical rotation to digital activation reflects the history of modern technology itself, making it a fascinating linguistic study.

واژه در 30 ثانیه

  • Means to activate a machine or light.
  • Can be used literally or figuratively.
  • Separable phrasal verb (turn it on).
  • Essential for daily English communication.

When you turn on something, you are essentially bringing it to life. Think of it as the bridge between stillness and action. Whether it is a television, a computer, or a simple light bulb, this phrasal verb is your go-to expression for starting an electrical device.

It is incredibly common in daily life. You use it dozens of times without even thinking about it. It is a separable phrasal verb, meaning you can say 'turn on the light' or 'turn the light on.' Both are perfectly correct and sound natural to native speakers.

The word turn comes from the Old English 'tyrnan,' which has roots in Latin and Greek, originally meaning to rotate or revolve. This makes perfect sense because early switches were often dials that you had to rotate to complete a circuit.

The addition of the preposition on to indicate a state of operation became standard as electricity entered the home in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before electricity, we might have said 'light the lamp' or 'kindle the fire.' As technology evolved, our language shifted to describe the mechanical act of flipping a switch.

You will use turn on primarily with electronic devices. Common collocations include 'turn on the TV,' 'turn on the computer,' or 'turn on the radio.' It is neutral in register, meaning it is appropriate for both casual chats with friends and professional settings at the office.

Be careful not to use it for things that don't have a power source. You wouldn't 'turn on' a book or a sandwich! For those, you would use different verbs like 'open' or 'prepare.' Keep it focused on machines, lights, and appliances.

Turn on a dime: To change direction very quickly. Example: The car turned on a dime to avoid the obstacle.

Turn on the charm: To act very friendly to get what you want. Example: He turned on the charm to win over the board members.

Turn on someone: To suddenly attack or betray someone. Example: The dog suddenly turned on its owner.

Turn on the waterworks: To start crying, often to get sympathy. Example: She turned on the waterworks when she got the bad news.

Turn on the heat: To put pressure on someone. Example: The boss turned on the heat to finish the project.

As a phrasal verb, turn on is transitive. This means it needs an object. You can say 'Turn on the lights' (object at the end) or 'Turn the lights on' (object in the middle). However, if you use a pronoun like 'it,' you must put it in the middle: 'Turn it on,' never 'Turn on it.'

In terms of pronunciation, the stress is usually on the particle 'on' in casual speech, but can shift depending on the sentence rhythm. Rhyming words include 'burn on,' 'learn on,' and 'fern on,' though these are rarely used as phrases.

نکته جالب

The term 'turn on' became popular in the 1960s to mean 'to become excited' or 'to get high'.

راهنمای تلفظ

UK /tɜːn ɒn/
US /tɜrn ɑn/
هم‌قافیه با
burn on learn on fern on urn on churn on
خطاهای رایج
  • Pronouncing 'turn' like 'torn'
  • Ignoring the linking sound
  • Stress on 'turn' instead of 'on'

سطح دشواری

خواندن 1/5

Very easy

نوشتن 2/5

Requires care with pronouns

صحبت کردن 1/5

Very common

گوش دادن 1/5

Easy to hear

بعداً چه یاد بگیریم؟

پیش‌نیازها

light switch button

بعداً یاد بگیرید

turn off shut down activate

پیشرفته

initiate commence

گرامر لازم

Phrasal Verbs

Turn on

Separable Phrasal Verbs

Turn it on

Imperative Mood

Turn on the light!

مثال‌ها بر اساس سطح

1

Turn on the light, please.

activate lamp

imperative

2

I turn on the TV.

start television

simple present

3

Turn it on.

activate it

pronoun placement

4

He turns on the radio.

start radio

third person s

5

Can you turn on the fan?

start fan

modal verb

6

We turn on the computer.

start PC

transitive verb

7

Don't turn on the oven.

do not start

negative imperative

8

She turns on the lamp.

start light

subject-verb agreement

1

Turn on the heater because it is cold.

2

I forgot to turn on my alarm.

3

Please turn on the projector for the meeting.

4

He turned on the faucet to wash his hands.

5

Did you turn on the dishwasher?

6

Turn the lights on before you leave.

7

The machine turns on automatically.

8

I will turn on the GPS to find the way.

1

She turned on the charm to get the discount.

2

The dog suddenly turned on the stranger.

3

He turned on the waterworks to avoid trouble.

4

The system turns on as soon as you log in.

5

We need to turn on the backup generator.

6

Don't turn on the TV while I'm studying.

7

The audience turned on the performer after the bad show.

8

He turned on the heat to warm the house.

1

The political candidate turned on his former allies.

2

She turned on the computer and waited for the update.

3

The situation turned on a single decision.

4

He turned on the tap and let the water run.

5

They turned on the security system for the night.

6

The narrative turns on the protagonist's secret.

7

Don't turn on your friends when things get tough.

8

She turned on the radio to listen to the news.

1

The plot of the novel turns on a hidden betrayal.

2

He turned on his heel and walked away.

3

The debate turned on the definition of justice.

4

She turned on the lights, illuminating the room.

5

The engine turned on with a loud roar.

6

They turned on the pressure to get a response.

7

The entire case turns on this piece of evidence.

8

He turned on the device, unaware of the consequences.

1

The geopolitical stability of the region turns on this treaty.

2

He turned on the machine, a relic of a bygone era.

3

The mystery turns on a subtle clue left behind.

4

She turned on the faucet, releasing a stream of cold water.

5

The outcome of the trial turns on the witness's testimony.

6

He turned on the charm, masking his true intentions.

7

The mechanism turns on a series of complex gears.

8

They turned on the heat, hoping to thaw the frozen pipes.

ترکیب‌های رایج

turn on the light
turn on the TV
turn on the computer
turn on the heater
turn on the charm
turn on the faucet
turn on the radio
turn on the pressure
turn on the alarm
turn on the engine

اصطلاحات و عبارات

"turn on a dime"

change direction quickly

The boat turned on a dime.

casual

"turn on the charm"

be extra friendly

She turned on the charm.

neutral

"turn on the waterworks"

start crying

Don't turn on the waterworks.

informal

"turn on someone"

betray or attack

He turned on his allies.

neutral

"turn on the heat"

apply pressure

The boss turned on the heat.

casual

"turn on one's heel"

turn around quickly

He turned on his heel.

literary

به‌راحتی اشتباه گرفته می‌شود

turn on vs Turn off

Opposite meaning

Off vs On

Turn on vs Turn off

turn on vs Switch on

Same meaning

Regional preference

UK prefers switch on

turn on vs Start

General usage

Start is broader

Start a race vs Turn on a lamp

turn on vs Activate

Formal synonym

Formal vs Neutral

Activate the system

الگوهای جمله‌سازی

A1

Subject + turn + object + on

I turn the light on.

A1

Subject + turn + on + object

I turn on the light.

A2

Subject + turn + pronoun + on

I turn it on.

A1

Imperative + turn + on + object

Turn on the TV!

B1

Subject + turn + on + idiom

She turned on the charm.

خانواده کلمه

اسم‌ها

turn-on something that excites

فعل‌ها

turn to rotate

مرتبط

switch synonymous mechanism

نحوه استفاده

frequency

10/10

اشتباهات رایج
  • Turn on it → Turn it on

    Pronouns must go between the verb and particle.

  • Turn on the book → Open the book

    Only electronics are turned on.

  • Turn on the fire → Light the fire

    Use 'light' for fire.

  • Turn on the door → Open the door

    Doors don't have power switches.

  • Turn on the music → Play the music

    Use 'play' for media content.

نکات

💡

Pronoun Rule

Always put 'it' or 'them' in the middle.

💡

Electronics Only

Use for things with power.

💡

Labeling

Put a sticky note on your light switch.

💡

Word Order

Don't say 'turn on it'.

💡

Linking

Say it like 'turn-on'.

🌍

1960s Slang

It used to mean getting high.

💡

History

Switches used to be rotating dials.

💡

Action

Act out the motion.

💡

Context

Use it in your daily routine.

💡

Separability

It is a separable phrasal verb.

حفظ کنید

روش یادسپاری

Turn the switch ON.

تداعی تصویری

A light switch flipping from down to up.

شبکه واژگان

Electricity Switch Power Device

چالش

Say 'turn it on' every time you power up your phone today.

ریشه کلمه

Germanic/Old English

معنای اصلی: To rotate or revolve.

بافت فرهنگی

None, though 'turn-on' as a noun can refer to sexual attraction.

Used universally in homes and offices.

'Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out' (Timothy Leary)

تمرین در زندگی واقعی

موقعیت‌های واقعی

At Home

  • Turn on the light
  • Turn on the TV
  • Turn on the oven

At Work

  • Turn on the computer
  • Turn on the projector
  • Turn on the mic

Driving

  • Turn on the headlights
  • Turn on the radio
  • Turn on the AC

Figurative

  • Turn on the charm
  • Turn on the pressure
  • Turn on the waterworks

شروع‌کننده‌های مکالمه

"What is the first thing you turn on in the morning?"

"Do you always turn on the lights when you enter a room?"

"Have you ever turned on the wrong machine by mistake?"

"Do you prefer to turn on the radio or listen to a podcast?"

"Is it hard to turn on your computer when you are tired?"

موضوعات نگارش

Describe your morning routine using 'turn on'.

Write about a time someone 'turned on' you.

Explain how to turn on a device you use daily.

What does 'turning on the charm' mean to you?

سوالات متداول

8 سوال

It is neutral and standard.

No, say 'turn it on'.

Turn off.

Usually we say 'start the car', but 'turn on the engine' works.

Yes, they are synonyms.

Yes.

Yes, 'to turn on someone' means to betray.

It is a separable phrasal verb.

خودت رو بسنج

fill blank A1

Please ___ the computer.

درسته! نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: turn on

We use turn on for computers.

multiple choice A2

Which sentence is correct?

درسته! نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Turn it on.

Pronouns go in the middle.

true false B1

Can you 'turn on' a sandwich?

درسته! نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: نادرست

Sandwiches are not electronic.

match pairs B1

Word

معنی

همه جفت شدند!

Idioms match their meanings.

sentence order B2

کلمات زیر رو بزن تا جمله رو بسازی
درسته! نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح:

Turn on the TV.

امتیاز: /5

محتوای مرتبط

مفید بود؟

نظرات (0)

برای نظر دادن وارد شوید
هنوز نظری وجود ندارد. اولین نفری باشید که افکار خود را به اشتراک می‌گذارد!