turned them in

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "turned them in" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate the act of submitting something, such as assignments or reports, to a person in authority or an institution. Example: "After completing the project, I turned them in to my professor for grading."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

But they turned them in without dates, Sergeant Victalino said.

The New York Times

"You can't complain when, notified about the safety hazard, the protesters voluntarily took their generators and cans and turned them in," he said on his program on WOR-AM (710).

The New York Times

A member of my family, who will go unnamed, once scoured the house for discarded L. L. Bean items, and turned them in toward credit for a new bag.

The New Yorker

"Sometimes people have been slow but they have almost always turned them in," Fenderson said.

Los Angeles Times

Riddell took the tests for some of them, sat beside others and told them the answers, or corrected their responses after they'd turned them in, prosecutors say.

Los Angeles Times

But this one is like no other, surpassing even its predecessor whose superior acting by Christian Bale and mixture of real action and personal character studies snatched these films from becoming comic book parodies of a blockbuster and turned them in to serious movies about comic book heroes.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

Mr. Dalal promises to turn them in by May.

The New York Times - Style

Brad always submits them on time, but Frank often turns them in late.

Harvard University

They're all waiting to hear about this dentist who will turn them in for cash.

Vice

Turn them in the flour until covered.

The Guardian - Books

They think I'd turn them in.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider if a more formal alternative like "submitted" is appropriate for professional or academic writing.

Common error

A common mistake is not clearly defining what "them" refers to. Always ensure the reader knows what items are being "turned in" to avoid confusion. Instead of saying 'They turned them in', clarify it: 'They turned the stolen goods in'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "turned them in" functions as a phrasal verb. It primarily signifies the act of submitting something or reporting someone to an authority. As noted by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrasal verb "turned them in" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote the act of submitting something or reporting someone to an authority. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While widely applicable, consider more formal alternatives like "submitted" or "reported" in academic or professional settings. The phrase is most frequently encountered in news and media, with a notable presence in academic contexts. When using "turned them in", ensure that the object of "them" is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

submitted them

Focuses on the act of formally presenting something for consideration.

handed them over

Emphasizes the act of physically transferring possession to someone.

delivered them

Highlights the action of transporting and providing the items.

lodged them

Implies formally filing or registering documents.

presented them

Highlights the act of showing or offering something formally.

filed them

Focuses on the action of placing documents in an official record.

returned them

Emphasizes the act of giving something back.

yielded them

Suggests giving something up, often under pressure.

surrendered them

Implies giving up something, often to an authority.

relinquished them

Highlights the act of voluntarily giving something up.

FAQs

How can I use "turned them in" in a sentence?

You can use "turned them in" to indicate submitting something to an authority, like "The students "turned them in" at the end of the class", or reporting someone, like "His colleagues "turned them in" after discovering the fraud".

What can I say instead of "turned them in"?

You can use alternatives like "submitted them", "handed them over", or "delivered them" depending on the context.

Is "turned them in" formal or informal?

"Turned them in" is generally considered an informal phrasal verb. For more formal contexts, consider using "submitted them" or "delivered them".

What's the difference between "turned them in" and "reported them"?

"Turned them in" typically implies handing over physical items or evidence, while "reported them" suggests providing information about someone's wrongdoing to an authority.