Uncle Bob’s new invention
Phrasal verbs with Turn
When I woke up on Saturday I didn’t realise it was going to turn out to be such an exciting day.
While I was having breakfast, Uncle Bob turned up. He was depressed because his application to
join the Mad Inventors Society had been turned down. He had a new invention, super strength
machine, which could turn a poodle into a hunting dog. To cheer him up I suggested we visit the
Inventors Exhibition at the town Hall. We went in my car and after five minutes we had to turn
back, Bob had forgotten his invention! Anyway, we finally arrived but we were turned away
because it was full. So we climbed in through the window. Uncle Bob saw Bill Gates with his pet
dog, and decided to show him his new invention. He put the dog inside the machine. Uncle Bob
turned the machine on and we waited. Nothing happened. The machine was upside-down! So he
turned the machine over. We waited. Nothing happened. Uncle Bob turned up the power.
Nothing. So he turned it up even more. Nothing. Finally Bob turned the machine off and took out
the dog. Suddenly there was a bang, and the dog turned into a huge ten-foot monster.
“AAAHHH!!!” Shouted everyone. Everyone started running in all directions, screaming, and
shouting. It was a disaster! But the story has a happy ending, because the experiment turned out
to be a success. A businessman who wanted to create more effective guard dogs bought the
machine. It was exactly what he was looking for!
Exercise 1. Match the phrasal verbs to the definitions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Turn out
Turn up power/volume
Turn into
Turn back
Turn up unexpectedly
Turn down
Turn on
Turn off
Turn over
Turn away
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Change into, become
Reject
Press button to stop working (light, TV)
Press button to start working (light, TV)
Become upside-down
Increase volume
Decrease volume
Not be allowed to enter (A disco)
Arrive unexpectedly or after a lot of time
Be, in the end (And not what you had expected
Exercise 2. Read through the story with a partner and see if you can remember which verbs go in
each gap.
When I woke up on Saturday I didn’t realise it was going to ______to be such an exciting day. While I was
having breakfast, Uncle Bob _________. He was depressed because his application to join the Mad Inventors
Society had been ______. He had a new invention, super strength machine, which could _______ a poodle
______ a hunting dog. To cheer him up I suggested we visit the Inventors Exhibition at the town Hall. We
went in my car and after five minutes we had to _________, Bob had forgotten his invention! Anyway, we
finally arrived but we were _________ because it was full. So we climbed in through the window. Uncle Bob
saw Bill Gates with his pet dog, and decided to show him his new invention. He put the dog inside the
machine. Uncle Bob _____ the machine _______ and we waited. Nothing happened. The machine was
upside-down! So he _______ the machine ______. We waited. Nothing happened. Uncle Bob ___________
the power. Nothing. So he _________ even more. Nothing. Finally Bob ________ the machine ______ and
took out the dog. Suddenly there was a bang, and the dog _______ a huge ten-foot monster. “AAAHHH!!!”
Shouted everyone. Everyone started running in all directions, screaming, and shouting. It was a disaster! But
the story has a happy ending, because the experiment _________ to be a success. A businessman who
wanted to create more effective guard dogs bought the machine. It was exactly what he was looking for.
Exercise 3. In pairs, ask each other these questions. You must use the phrasal verbs in your
answer, and you must both answer the question.
1.
2.
3.
4.
When did you last see a film you thought was going to be boring but it turned out to be good?
When did you last see a film you thought was going to be good but it turned out to be boring?
Have you ever been turned away from somewhere because it was full? A restaurant, concert, disco?
If you had magic powers, is there anyone you would like to turn into something? A teacher, boss,
member of your family?
Dominic Streames efltheatreclub.co.uk © 2011
Exercise 4. Add the correct phrasal verb in the correct form, to the following examples. Be careful to add
any pronouns where necessary. Write the answer in the margin only.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Although many people got to see the concert, many disappointed fans were ____
The music was too loud so we
Although we thought the dog had run away, it finally ____________ at midnight, safe
and sound.
The jungle was so dense that the explores had to _______________
The car went out of control on the bend and _______________________
The poor prince had been ________________ a frog by the evil witch.
He applied for a loan from the bank but unfortunately he was ______________
It was so cold we had to __________ the central heating, even though it was June!
I thought the party was going to be really boring but it ________ to be really fun.
Her mother asked her to ______ the television if she wasn’t watching it.
............
...............
............
...............
...............
..............
...............
...............
...............
...............
Exercise 5. Key word sentence transformations
Rewrite the first sentence so that it means the same as the first sentence, using the key word. You must
not change the key word in any way.
Example:
Answer:
Angela started to smoke when she was twelve.
took
Angela
Angela took up smoking when she was twelve
1. Frank will probably reject the new job offer
turn
Frank
2. In the end the film was quite good.
turned
In the end
3. If you hear a strange noise, stop the engine.
turn
If
4. It was so hot that after an hour of walking they decided to not continue
turned
It was so hot that
5. He finally found the watch he had been looking for in the bathroom.
turned
The watch
6. They couldn’t hear the film so they increased the volume
turned
They couldn’t hear
7. The argument was heated and soon became a nasty fight.
turned
The argument
8. We were dressed too casually so the man on the door wouldn’t let us in to the disco.
turned
We were dressed too casually
9. There were too many of us in the boat and it ended up upside down.
turned
There were too many of us in the boat
Dominic Streames efltheatreclub.co.uk © 2011