# turn sth off

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/turn-sth-off
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to stop a machine or a light from working by using a switch or button.

For teachers: to stop the operation or flow of a device, appliance, or supply by means of a switch, valve, or control.

## Examples

- Please turn the lights off when you leave.
- I always turn my phone off before the movie starts so it doesn't ring.
- The technician had to turn the main power off before he could safely inspect the damaged electrical wiring in the basement.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Turn off it." but "Turn it off." — when the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- used with electrical devices, engines, or water and gas supplies.
- Teaching tip: this is a separable phrasal verb; remind students that if the object is a pronoun like 'it', it must go in the middle.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.