Phrasal verb
turn into sth
Definition
phrasal verb. to change and become something different, or to make someone or something do this.
phrasal verb. to undergo a transformation or to cause a change in form, character, or function; functions as a transitive or intransitive phrasal-prepositional verb.
Examples
“The caterpillar will turn into a butterfly.”
“What started as a small argument quickly turned into a serious fight between the two brothers.”
“The alchemists of the Middle Ages spent centuries attempting to discover a method to turn lead into gold through chemical processes.”
Examples
simple
“The caterpillar will turn into a butterfly.”
contextual
“What started as a small argument quickly turned into a serious fight between the two brothers.”
complex
“The alchemists of the Middle Ages spent centuries attempting to discover a method to turn lead into gold through chemical processes.”
Usage
often used for natural growth, magical changes, or situations that develop in an unexpected way.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'become'; while 'become' focuses on the final state, 'turn into' emphasizes the process of transformation from one thing to another.
Pitfall
The rain turned in snow.
The rain turned into snow.
the preposition 'into' is necessary to show the movement from one state to another; 'in' does not express change.
Phrasal verb
Particles
into
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
turn + into + object