What Does “Turn sth in” Mean?
“Turn sth in” means to hand over or submit something, usually a document, assignment, or item, to someone in authority or responsible for it.
Introduction
The phrasal verb “turn sth in” is commonly used in daily English, especially in schools, workplaces, and official settings. When you “turn something in,” you give it to the person who needs to receive it, like a teacher, boss, or officer. Understanding the turn sth in meaning helps you communicate clearly about submitting work or returning items. This phrase is simple yet very useful in many situations, whether you are handing in homework, reports, or even lost property.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: turn something in
- Type: transitive
- Level: A2 – B2
- Short meaning: to submit or hand over something
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Turn sth in” is a separable phrasal verb. You can put the object between “turn” and “in” or after the whole phrasal verb.
- Turn the assignment in.
- Turn in the assignment.
Both forms are correct, but the object must be placed correctly to keep the meaning clear.
How to Use Turn sth in?
Use “turn sth in” when you want to talk about submitting work, documents, or items to someone responsible. It often refers to formal or official handing over.
- Students turn in their homework before the deadline.
- Employees turn in reports at the end of the day.
- You can also use it for returning lost items to authorities.
Examples
Here are some sentences using “turn sth in”:
- I need to turn in my essay by Friday.
- She turned in her resignation letter yesterday.
- Don’t forget to turn in your timesheet before leaving.
- He turned in the lost wallet to the police station.
These examples show how “turn sth in in a sentence” fits naturally in different contexts.
Common Mistakes
People sometimes confuse the word order or use the wrong preposition. Here are some common errors:
- Incorrect: I will turn in my homework it tomorrow.
Correct: I will turn in my homework tomorrow. - Incorrect: She turned her report out in.
Correct: She turned in her report.
Remember, the object should come before or after “turn in,” never split incorrectly.
Differences / Synonyms
“Turn sth in” is similar to “hand in” and “submit,” but there are slight differences:
- Hand in: Usually formal, often used in school or work.
- Submit: More formal and can be used in digital or physical contexts.
- Turn in: More casual, often used in everyday speech.
For example, “turn in your paper” and “hand in your paper” mean the same, but “submit your paper” sounds more formal.
Common Collocations
“Turn sth in” is often followed by specific objects related to submissions or returns. Here are common collocations:
- Turn in homework: school assignments
- Turn in reports: work documents
- Turn in timesheets: records of work hours
- Turn in resignation: quitting a job officially
- Turn in lost items: returning found property
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of turn sth in:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “turn sth in”:
Teacher: Have you turned in your science project yet?
Student: Yes, I turned it in this morning before class.
Teacher: Great! I’ll start grading them today.
Practice
Try filling in the blanks with the correct form of “turn sth in”:
- Please ______ your application forms by Monday.
- Did you ______ your report to the manager?
- Students must ______ their essays before the deadline.
(Answers: turn in, turn in, turn in)
FAQ
- What does “turn sth in” mean? It means to submit or hand over something to a person in charge.
- Can I say “turn in homework” or “turn homework in”? Both are correct; the phrasal verb is separable.
- Is “turn in” formal or informal? It is mostly informal but acceptable in many contexts.
- What is a synonym for “turn sth in”? “Hand in” and “submit” are common synonyms.
- Can I use “turn in” for returning lost items? Yes, it is often used for handing lost property to authorities.
