Master ‘Turn on’ to Boost Your IELTS Speaking Score

What is ‘Turn on’ and Why is it Important for IELTS?

The phrasal verb ‘turn on’ is a versatile and commonly used expression in English that can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. Understanding and correctly using this phrasal verb can demonstrate your command of idiomatic language, a key factor in achieving a high score in the IELTS Speaking test.

Definition and Explanation

‘Turn on’ has several meanings depending on the context:

1. To activate or start a device: “Turn on the lights.”
2. To cause someone to feel excited or interested: “His smile really turns me on.”
3. To suddenly attack or criticize someone: “The crowd turned on the speaker.”

Synonyms for ‘turn on’ include activate, switch on, power up, or excite, depending on the context.

Usage in Context

Here are some examples of ‘turn on’ in different contexts:

• Formal: “Please turn on your devices at the beginning of the exam.”
• Informal: “Hey, can you turn on the TV? The game’s about to start!”
• Written: “The new policy has turned on a debate about privacy rights.”
• Spoken: “I’m really turned on by intellectual conversations.”

Grammar Analysis

‘Turn on’ is a separable phrasal verb, meaning the object can come between ‘turn’ and ‘on’:

• “Turn on the computer” or “Turn the computer on”

However, if using a pronoun, it must come between ‘turn’ and ‘on’:

• “Turn it on” (correct)
• “Turn on it” (incorrect)

Application in IELTS

In Speaking:

Use ‘turn on’ to add variety to your responses. For example:

Question: “What do you do to relax after a long day?”
Sample answer: “After a long day, I like to turn on some soothing music and unwind with a good book. It really helps me turn off my busy mind and relax.”

In Writing:

While ‘turn on’ is more common in spoken English, it can be used effectively in writing tasks, especially in Task 2 essays or informal letters in Task 1.

Example: “The advent of social media has turned on a new era of communication, transforming how we interact and share information.”

IELTS candidate using 'turn on' in speaking test

Related Phrasal Verbs

1. Turn off /tɜːn ɒf/: To deactivate or stop a device from working
   Example: “Don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave.”

2. Turn up /tɜːn ʌp/: To increase the volume or intensity
   Example: “Can you turn up the radio? I love this song!”

3. Turn down /tɜːn daʊn/: To decrease the volume or intensity; to reject
   Example: “Please turn down the music, it’s too loud.”

4. Turn into /tɜːn ˈɪntə/: To change or transform into something else
   Example: “The caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly.”

5. Turn over /tɜːn ˈəʊvə/: To flip to the other side; to give control to someone else
   Example: “Turn over the page to continue reading.”

6. Turn around /tɜːn əˈraʊnd/: To reverse direction; to improve a bad situation
   Example: “The company managed to turn around its financial situation.”

7. Turn out /tɜːn aʊt/: To result in a particular way; to switch off lights
   Example: “Despite our worries, the event turned out to be a great success.”

Practice Exercises

Fill in the Blanks

1. Can you the air conditioning? It’s getting hot in here.
2. The audience the speaker when he made an offensive comment.
3. I always the news before going to bed.
4. Her passion for science really me .
5. Please your phones during the flight.
6. The magician water wine in his trick.
7. We need to the music; the neighbors are complaining.
8. The frog to be a handsome prince.
9. Don’t forget to the oven when you’re done cooking.
10. The company has a profit for the first time in years.

Sentence Transformation

1. Original: The lights are off. Can you activate them?
   Rewrite: The lights are off. Can you them ?

2. Original: I’m not interested in action movies, but documentaries excite me.
   Rewrite: Action movies don’t interest me, but documentaries really me .

3. Original: Please increase the volume of the TV.
   Rewrite: Please the TV.

4. Original: The audience suddenly became hostile towards the performer.
   Rewrite: The audience suddenly the performer.

5. Original: Remember to deactivate all electronic devices.
   Rewrite: Remember to all electronic devices.

6. Original: The ugly duckling transformed into a swan.
   Rewrite: The ugly duckling a swan.

7. Original: Could you reduce the heat on the stove?
   Rewrite: Could you the heat on the stove?

8. Original: The event resulted in being a huge success.
   Rewrite: The event to be a huge success.

9. Original: They managed to improve the company’s dire financial situation.
   Rewrite: They managed to the company’s dire financial situation.

10. Original: Please flip the pancake to cook the other side.
    Rewrite: Please the pancake to cook the other side.

Answers and Explanations

Fill in the Blanks:

1. turn on
2. turned on
3. turn on
4. turns on
5. turn off
6. turned into
7. turn down
8. turned out
9. turn off
10. turned around

Sentence Transformation:

1. turn on
2. turn on
3. turn up
4. turned on
5. turn off
6. turned into
7. turn down
8. turned out
9. turn around
10. turn over

Explanations:

1. ‘Turn on’ means to activate or start a device.
2. ‘Turn on’ can also mean to excite or interest someone.
3. ‘Turn up’ means to increase the volume.
4. ‘Turn on’ in this context means to suddenly attack or criticize.
5. ‘Turn off’ is the opposite of ‘turn on’, meaning to deactivate.
6. ‘Turn into’ means to transform or change into something else.
7. ‘Turn down’ means to decrease volume or intensity.
8. ‘Turn out’ means to result in a particular way.
9. ‘Turn around’ means to improve a bad situation.
10. ‘Turn over’ means to flip to the other side.

Memory Tips

To remember ‘turn on’ and its various meanings, try these techniques:

1. Visualization: Imagine physically turning on a light switch for the literal meaning.
2. Association: Link ‘turn on’ with feelings of excitement for its figurative meaning.
3. Contextual memory: Create short, memorable sentences for each meaning and practice them regularly.

Visual aids for remembering 'turn on' phrasal verb

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Mistake: Using ‘open’ instead of ‘turn on’ for devices.
   Correct: “Turn on the TV” (not “Open the TV”)

2. Mistake: Incorrect word order with pronouns.
   Correct: “Turn it on” (not “Turn on it”)

3. Mistake: Confusing ‘turn on’ with ‘turn in’ (to submit something).
   Correct: “Turn on the computer” vs. “Turn in your homework”

4. Mistake: Using ‘turn on’ in overly formal contexts.
   Solution: In formal writing, consider alternatives like ‘activate’ or ‘initiate’.

To avoid these mistakes, practice using ‘turn on’ in various contexts and be mindful of the specific meaning you want to convey.

Conclusion

Mastering the phrasal verb ‘turn on’ can significantly enhance your IELTS performance, particularly in the Speaking test. Its versatility allows you to express yourself more naturally and idiomatically, which is crucial for achieving a high score. Remember to practice using ‘turn on’ in different contexts and sentence structures to internalize its usage. By incorporating this and other phrasal verbs into your English vocabulary, you’ll be well on your way to turning on your full potential in the IELTS exam!

For more tips on improving your IELTS performance, don’t forget to check out our guides on other essential phrasal verbs like turn off, turn into, and turn up. These resources will help you turn up your language skills and avoid common pitfalls that might turn down your score.