[Vocabulary] turn on

[heyt]

Hello,

Could someone tell me if I used 'turn on' correctly in this sentence:

I was slleping on the sofa when suddenly the Tv turned on.

Thank you very much, :shock:
heyt

 

[Barb_D]

It's idiomatic. It sounds natural to me.

Note sleeping and TV, though.

 

[Tullia]

Hello,

Could someone tell me if I used 'turn on' correctly in this sentence:

I was sleeping on the sofa when suddenly the TV turned on.

Thank you very much, :shock:
heyt

It's idiomatic. It sounds natural to me.

Note sleeping and TV, though.

I would disagree, and I'd suggest that "... the TV turned itself on." might be a better way to put it. It would express the idea the idea that the TV did it without apparent human intervention, and I do feel better about having something being "turned on" rather than the OP's version.

 

[Barb_D]

I was sleeping ............. when the TV was turned on.
(someone turned on the TV)

Could someone tell me if I used 'turn on' correctly in this sentence:

I was slleping on the sofa when suddenly the Tv turned on.

Thank you very much, :shock:
heyt

If another person turned it on, then your use is correct.

If the cat stepped on the remote, it would feel as though the TV suddenly came on by itself.

My understanding was that this person did nothing to turn it on and was unaware of anyone else doing so. It just came on by itself.

As I said, the original sounds natural enough to me.

"I was asleep and suddenly the TV came on/turned on" is how I would say it.

 

[Nathan Mckane]

What about this one?

I was sleeping on the sofa when suddenly the TV came on by itself.

 

[emsr2d2]

What about this one?

I was sleeping on the sofa when suddenly the TV came on by itself.

Or "I was asleep..." but that's my favourite so far! :-D

 

[Barb_D]

begin silly comment

But the TV wasn't by itself when it came on. There was a penguin on it.

end silly comment.