TURNED ON by Phrasals - part 1

Do you get turned on (seduced) by phrasal verbs? Probably not, eh?

Well, either way, before you turn in (go to bed), please turn your attention to this week's post about phrasal verbs with TURN.

As it turns out (could result) you might learn a few before you turn off the computer.





turn on (seduce)

* Maggie was turned on by his charm rather than his looks.
* What turned you on to buying this smart phone? I thought you hated them.

turn in (go to bed)

* I'm really tired. I think I'm going to turn in.
* So, what time did you turn in last night?

to turn in (deliver results)

* Our company's turned in its best results in over ten years.
* Time's up. Please turn in your test.

to turn into (change or transform into something different)

* If we don't stop inflation now, the situation could turn into a nightmare.
* The architects turned this old building into a modern condominium.

to turn off (switch the power to "off" on a machine or device)

* I forgot to turn off the A/C before I left.
* I recommend you turn off the computer and restart it.

to turn on (switch the power to "on" on a machine or device)

* The first thing I do in the morning, is turn on my computer and the coffee machine.
* It was dark in the house when I went in. Nobody had turned the lights on.

to turn on (betray or be disloyal)

* The president fired a staff memmber who turned on him.
* Mike turned on his boss because he wanted his job.

to turn out (have a particular result)

* We had a very good afternoon. The weather turned out well.
* I was so pleased with the food. Even the cakes turned out perfectly.

to turn out (people who go and participate at an event)

* Hundreds of thousands turned out to see the Royal Wedding.
* How many people do you think will turn out in the next elections?

In conclusion, whether you are turned on or not by phrasal verbs with TURN, we strongly recommend you practice them in your everyday use of English.

Who knows... you just might turn someone else on... without meaning to. But you wouldn't be the first one.

Robert Palmer beat you to it (did it before you), in this classic hit from the 80s. Enjoy!

APRIL FOOL'S DAY

For Mr. T, the famous TV personality from the 1980's, everyone was a fool everyday, all the time.

However, for many countries of the world, this may not be true, except on April first... also known as: April Fool's Day.

And although it's not a national holiday, many people really get a "kick" out of celebrating it. Why? Mainly, because, it's a day to tell wild stories, play hoaxes and other practical jokes on friends, family or colleagues.

But not everybody agrees on the history of April Fool's Day. Most historians believe it comes from a misreading of a date in Geoffrey Chaucer's classic The Canterbury Tales (1392), in which one character is tricked by another.

Still, others believe that it originated during the Middle Ages when people who celebrated the New Year on April 1st were ridiculed by those who celebrated it on January 1st as a result of a change in the Gregorian calendar.

Nevertheless, for decades the media has been known to play April Fool's day practical jokes on audiences. Here are some of the most memorable ones:

2002: Google reveals its page-ranking system is actually done by domestic pigeons.

2007: The BBC reported that it was conducting a trial run of a new Sniff-Screen technology on its website, prompting numerous people to call in and claim it really worked.

1998: Burger King takes out an ad in USA Today saying it would sell special left-handed burgers, which were designed to have condiments spill out of the right side.

1976: An astronomer tells listeners of BBC radio that the alignment of two planets had caused a strange disturbance in gravity, and told people to jump up and feel like they were floating. Many listeners called in exclaiming it worked.

1998: Alabama lawmakers vote to change the value of pi.

1957: A British tv program reports that Italians were harvesting spaghetti from trees, causing people to call in and ask how to grow their own.

If you enjoyed those, here's a link to a website that lists the top 100 April Fool's Day pranks of all time.

For more on April Fool's Day, we invite you to watch this video that includes a report from Voice of America, telling the story of this famous day.

Enjoy, English Users and remember to send in your 20 page reports on this topic by next week!

COMMON MISTAKES - Weather vs. Whether

Here are another two words that sound alike, are often confused and have absolutely different meanings:

Weather: the atmospheric conditions in a specific place, usually making reference to the sun, clouds, temperature, wind and rain.

Whether: a way to introduce a statement or question involving alternative possibilities.

EXAMPLES:

1. The weather for today is partly-cloudy, with a 30 percent chance of rain and winds from the South-East at 40 miles per hour.

2. Tina loves rainy weather when she has to paint.

3. Tom needs to decide whether or not he's going to work together as a member of this team.

4. Whether we have the soccer match this afternoon depends on the weather.