Turn off: stop a device or supply

The idea

Turn off stops a device's operation or a supply's flow. Both turn off the radio and turn the radio off work. With it or them, put the pronoun in the middle: turn it off.

Examples

• Please turn off the oven after baking.
• Lea turned the radio off before the meeting.
• Lea turned off the radio before the meeting.
• The screen turns off after two minutes.
• Turn it off, then unplug it.
• I turned the tap off when the jug was full.

Watch out

For a radio, turn off stops it operating; turn down lowers the volume and can leave it playing. These are different requests, even though both can make a room quieter.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct option. Turn ___, then unplug it. (it off / off it)

   Show answer or example answer

   it off

   The object pronoun it goes before off, between the two parts.

2. Choose the correct option. The screen ___ off after two minutes. (turns / turn)

   Show answer or example answer

   turns

   Turns agrees with the singular subject the screen.

3. Say that Lea stopped the radio operating, rather than only lowering its volume. Lea turned the radio ___. (off / down)

   Show answer or example answer

   off

   The instruction asks for the radio to stop operating, so choose off, not down.

Use it today

Write a request to stop a device, using its name and then it. Add one sentence about a device that turns off automatically.