What Does โTurn sb inโ Mean?
โTurn sb inโ means to report someone, usually to the police or authority, for doing something wrong or illegal.
Introduction
The phrase โturn sb inโ is commonly used in English when talking about reporting someone to the authorities. It often involves telling the police or another official about a person who has committed a crime or broken rules. Understanding the turn sb in meaning helps learners use this useful phrasal verb in the right situations. Whether you hear it in movies, news, or daily conversations, knowing how to use โturn sb inโ can improve your English and help you express important ideas clearly.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: turn somebody in
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to report someone to the police or authorities
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โTurn sb inโ is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object (somebody) between โturnโ and โinโ or after the whole phrasal verb.
- Turn someone in
- Turn in someone
Both forms are correct, but placing the object between the verb and particle is more common.
How to Use Turn sb in?
Use โturn sb inโ when you want to say someone reported another person to an authority, usually for wrongdoing. It often appears in contexts related to crime, rules, or justice. For example, if you see someone stealing, you might โturn them inโ to the police.
Examples
In many movies, characters face a difficult choice: whether to turn a friend in or stay silent.
- The witness decided to turn the suspect in to the police.
- She threatened to turn him in if he didnโt pay back the money.
- After finding out about the cheating, the student turned his classmate in.
- The security guard turned the thief in to the authorities.
- Itโs hard to turn a family member in, but sometimes itโs necessary.
These examples show how to use โturn sb in in a sentenceโ naturally.
Common Mistakes
People often confuse โturn sb inโ with other similar phrases or use the wrong word order.
- Incorrect: I will turn in him to the police.
- Correct: I will turn him in to the police.
- Incorrect: She turned in the thief.
- Correct: She turned the thief in.
Remember, the object usually comes between โturnโ and โin.โ
Differences / Synonyms
โTurn sb inโ is similar to โreport someoneโ or โhand someone over,โ but there are differences:
- Report someone: More general, can mean telling any authority.
- Turn sb in: Specifically reporting to police or authorities for wrongdoing.
- Hand someone over: Physically giving someone to authorities, often used in legal or official contexts.
Use โturn sb inโ when focusing on the act of informing the police or authority about a personโs crime or bad behavior.
Common Collocations
We often use โturn sb inโ with specific objects related to crime or wrongdoing.
- Turn a criminal in: report a criminal to the police.
- Turn a suspect in: report a person suspected of a crime.
- Turn a thief in: report someone who stole something.
- Turn a spy in: report someone spying to the authorities.
- Turn a friend in: report a friend who did something wrong.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of turn sb in:
Real-life Dialogue
Imagine two friends talking about a crime they witnessed.
Anna: I saw Jake stealing from the store yesterday.
Mark: Really? Did you turn him in?
Anna: Yes, I told the manager and they called the police.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
- A) She turned in the suspect to the police.
- B) She turned the suspect in to the police.
- C) She turned the suspect to the police in.
Answer: B) She turned the suspect in to the police.
FAQ
- What does โturn sb inโ mean? It means to report someone to the police or authorities.
- Is โturn sb inโ separable? Yes, you can place the object between โturnโ and โin.โ
- Can I use โturn sb inโ for reporting a friend? Yes, it can be used for anyone who does something wrong.
- Is โturn sb inโ formal or informal? It is commonly used in both spoken and written English.
- Whatโs the difference between โturn sb inโ and โreport someoneโ? โTurn sb inโ specifically means reporting to police or authorities about a crime.
