Turn or switch?

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Sonny.blog.cz

#190297 Sun, 29 Jan 06 11:04 AM

When should I use verb to turn and when verb to switch?

Verbs to turn and to switch have similar meaning and I do not know if it is correct to use these verbs to talk about switching on/turning on for example lights, water, radio, TV.

Can you tell me more about this problem? Where is the truth about these confusing verbs?

Sonny.blog.cz

Joined on Fri, Jan 13 2006

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Verbs

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pieanne

#190458 Sun, 29 Jan 06 07:04 PM

Hi!

I think it has to do with the movement; here is a switch: http://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/~JRS47/switch.jpg. You switch "on" & "off" with a single "click".

When you turn something "on" or "off", it's a clockwise or counter clockwise movement, like in a dial.

"Turning someone on" also has a particular meaning, it's "arousing someone, sexually".

pieanne

Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005

South of France ...But I'm Belgian!

Veteran Member (7,512)

I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...

Matress

#190793 Mon, 30 Jan 06 02:29 PM

turn (SWITCH)
verb [always + adv/prep]
to use a control to switch (a piece of equipment) on or off, or to adjust it to change the amount of what it is producing
Please turn off/out the lights when you leave.
Who turned my computer on/off?
Turn the TV down (= make the sound quieter) -- it's too loud.
Turn up the volume -- I can't hear what they're saying.

switch on/off obj, switch obj on/off

phrasal verb [M]
to start or stop (a device powered by electricity)
She switched the light off.
Switch on the video camera, please.

From Cambridge Dictionaries - American English

Matress

Joined on Sat, Nov 26 2005

Brazil - a land of all kind of people

Full Member (455)

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American English, Phrasal verbs, Verbs

Silversamand

#191134 Tue, 31 Jan 06 06:31 PM

when you want to change tv channel or change topic and go from one to another topic you should use Switch

in other situations Turn is correct

Silversamand

Joined on Wed, Jan 25 2006

Iran

New Member (27)

CalifJim

#192076 Fri, 03 Feb 06 02:56 AM

Use "turn on" and "turn off" in most cases, and you'll almost always be right.

turn on/off the light(s), water, electricity, gas, TV, television, radio, news.
Yes, you can even turn on the news (if it's on TV or radio).
(shut off can substitute for turn off.)

Where I live, it is less usual to say switch on/off a light, TV, etc.

change the channel (or switch the channel)

CJ