# turn sth on

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to make a machine, light, or device start working by pressing a button or moving a switch.

For teachers: to activate an electrical or mechanical device by operating a switch, valve, or control mechanism.

## Examples

- Can you turn the lights on?
- It was getting dark, so she decided to turn the heating on and close the curtains.
- The technician had to turn the primary server on before the rest of the network could be synchronized.

## Pitfalls

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

## Usage notes

- commonly used with appliances, lights, engines, and electronic devices.
- Teaching tip: this is a separable phrasal verb; emphasize that if the object is a pronoun like 'it', it must go between 'turn' and 'on'.

---

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.