turn out

Both

Sense-dependent: some meanings take an object and split, others take none. Check the sense you mean.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: turn OUT. Saying “TURN out” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Link across the gap. The final /n/ of “turn” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “turn out” is said “tur-nout”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.

Verb vs noun

As a noun the stress flips to the front: the verb is turn OUT, the noun is TURNOUT. Same two words, different beat — “to turn OUT” is the action, “a turnout” is the thing. Getting this backwards makes the sentence land oddly even when every sound is right.

3 meanings

  1. 1

    To prove to be the case in the end.

    • It turned out to be a much better day than expected.
    • Things didn't turn out the way we hoped.

    Similar: transpire, prove

  2. 2

    To attend an event in numbers.

    • Thousands turned out for the parade.

    Similar: attend

  3. 3

    To produce something in quantity.

    • The factory turns out four thousand units a day.

    Similar: produce, manufacture

The particle logic

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Hear “turn out” spoken naturally

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More TURN phrasal verbs

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turn out — meaning, examples & how to say it