A dark lamp becomes a working light when someone turns it on. Some devices also turn on automatically, without a person pressing a button.

The idea

For a device or supply, turn on means start its operation or flow. A noun can go in either position: turn on the projector / turn the projector on. Put a pronoun between the parts: turn it on.

Examples

  • Mina turns on the desk lamp before drawing.
  • Omar turned the projector on.
  • Omar turned on the projector.
  • Please turn it on.
  • The garden lights turn on automatically at dusk.
  • Can you turn on the tap while I hold the jug?

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Turn it on names an action; it is on describes a state. Do not insert the full verb after is. For activating a lamp, use turn on or switch on, rather than open.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. Please turn ___. (it on / on it)

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    it on

    The pronoun it goes between turn and on.

  2. Choose the correct option. Mina ___ on the desk lamp before drawing. (turn / turns)

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    turns

    Turns takes -s because Mina is third-person singular.

  3. Choose the correct option. The lamp is ___ now. (on / turn on)

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    on

    After is, on describes the lamp's current state; turn on is the action.

Use it today

Choose a device and write a request with its name. Rewrite the request with it, then add a sentence saying the device is already on.