he turned on the light

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "He turned on the light" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe an action taken by someone to turn on a light. For example: "He opened the door, and he turned on the light to illuminate the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

He turned on the light above his worktable.

The New Yorker

He turned on the light and lit a cigarette.

The New Yorker

He woke up sweating; he turned on the light and began to write down what he had seen.

The New York Times - Magazine

As he turned on the light my senses were invaded by the sheer, overwhelmingly joyous simplicity of it all.

The Guardian - Opinion

Then, when he turned on the light, I saw I was in a room 12 feet long and 8 feet wide, absolutely stuffed with papers and objects of every kind.

The New York Times

McGwire finally, reluctantly, belatedly and calculatingly came to the conclusion that the shadow could not disappear, until ironically, he turned on the light.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

He turned on the lights.

The New Yorker

While members of the Orthodox congregation observed the Sabbath, he turned on the lights, adjusted the heat or rounded up the 10 people needed to make up a minyan.

The New York Times

Then he would see the attitude of the people when he turned on the lights — they wouldn't know he was the owner of the house — and he would hear, 'That looks better now,' 'Yeah,' 'Right.' " Wow, they really do walk among us.

The New York Times

"Wait here," George said as he turned on the lights, flipped the chair upright.

Vice

He turns on the lights, rings the bell -- ding, ding -- and an 1897 trolley of mahogany and oak lurches six feet and stops.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "he turned on the light", ensure it's clear which light source is being activated. If context is ambiguous, specify the type of light (e.g. "he turned on the desk lamp").

Common error

Prefer active voice ("he turned on the light") over passive constructions ("the light was turned on by him"). Active voice is more direct and concise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he turned on the light" functions as a declarative statement describing a specific action performed by someone. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, with numerous examples available.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he turned on the light" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe the act of illuminating a space. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and provides numerous examples from diverse sources, including news outlets like The New York Times and The New Yorker. While simple, the phrase's directness and clarity make it applicable across various registers. Consider the specific context to determine if a synonym like "he switched on the light" or "he illuminated the room" might be more fitting, but the original phrase remains a reliable and easily understood option.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he switched on the light

Uses a synonym verb "switched" instead of "turned", with nearly identical meaning.

he flipped on the light

Replaces "turned" with "flipped", suggesting a quick, switch-like action.

he turned the light on

Inverts the phrase structure, placing "on" after "light" which is a valid variation.

he put on the light

Uses the verb "put" in a similar context with an identical meaning to "he turned on the light".

he illuminated the room

Focuses on the result of the action rather than the action itself.

he activated the light

Uses a more formal verb "activated" to describe turning on the light.

he lit up the room

Emphasizes the visual effect of the light filling the room.

he powered on the light

Uses the verb "powered" which is common with electronic devices.

he made the room brighter

Describes the consequence of turning on the light rather than the direct action.

he set the light to on

A less common, more technical way of describing the action.

FAQs

What does "he turned on the light" mean?

The phrase "he turned on the light" means that someone activated a light source, making it illuminate an area.

What can I say instead of "he turned on the light"?

You can use alternatives like "he switched on the light", "he flipped on the light", or "he illuminated the room" depending on the context.

Is "he turned on the light" grammatically correct?

Yes, "he turned on the light" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English.

Is it better to say "he turned on the light" or "he turned the light on"?

Both "he turned on the light" and "he turned the light on" are grammatically correct and generally interchangeable. The former is slightly more common.