Select the sentence in which the phrasal verb TURN DOWN has been used correctly.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → She turned down the volume so that everyone could hear her clearly.
A phrasal verb is a verb joined with a small word such as up, out or together. The two words together have a new meaning.
Phrasal verb "turn down":
- Turn down has two common meanings: (a) to lower the volume, heat or light of a device, and (b) to refuse an offer or request.
- Option 1 uses meaning (a): she lowered the volume of the music or speakers so that her own voice could be heard. The use is correct and the sentence makes sense.
Example: Please turn down the television. The baby is asleep.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: He turned down the street to find the short cut. — Incorrect. Here "down" is a preposition of direction (down the street), and "turned" is an ordinary verb of movement. The phrasal verb "turn down" (lower or refuse) is not used.
Option 3: The company turned down the profits this quarter. — Incorrect. A company does not lower or refuse its profits. The sentence makes no sense. (Profits went down or fell.)
Corrected: The company's profits went down this quarter.
Option 4: They turned down the lights to brighten the room. — Incorrect. Turning down the lights makes a room darker, which contradicts "to brighten the room". One turns the lights up for that.
Corrected: They turned up the lights to brighten the room.