turning to face

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "turning to face" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the action of someone physically orienting their body towards a specific direction or person. Example: "She was sitting at the table, but upon hearing her name, she started turning to face the speaker."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"I ate too many," Williams said, turning to face Long.

The New York Times - Sports

"No, I'm not, Sam," I said, turning to face her.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"Please don't do that," he said, turning to face the wall.

The New Yorker

"Where are you from?" I said in Persian, turning to face the tour guide.

The New York Times

"A priest should not walk so fast," he said, turning to face the students.

The New York Times

I avoid turning to face him, so as not to set the whole intersection spinning.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"We want our rights!" one of the women shouted, turning to face them.

The New York Times

"Well, first of all, sorry for today," he said, turning to face Federer.

The New York Times - Sports

"There he is!" Turning to face the camera again, Ice-T smirks, and says, "That's all white people — trip.

The New Yorker

He can be seen running away from three officers before turning to face them as they fire.

The Guardian

He kicked at some baseball spikes at the foot of his locker before turning to face me.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "turning to face" when you want to emphasize the action of someone physically re-orienting themselves to look at something or someone directly.

Common error

Avoid using "turning to face" when the action is simply 'looking' without a change in body orientation. For example, instead of "He was already turning to face the stage", consider "He was already looking at the stage" if he was already oriented towards it.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "turning to face" is that of a gerund phrase, often acting as an adverbial modifier describing the manner in which an action is performed. This phrase is used to add detail to actions, indicating a change in orientation as part of the event, as Ludwig AI suggests.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

84%

Wiki

8%

Science

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "turning to face" is a versatile gerund phrase commonly used to describe the action of changing body orientation to look at something or someone. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's grammatically correct and appears frequently in various contexts, particularly in News & Media. While it can be replaced by alternatives like "facing towards" or "turning towards", "turning to face" is most appropriate when emphasizing the physical act of re-orientation. Remember to avoid using it as a simple substitute for 'looking' without a change in body position. With these guidelines, you can confidently and effectively use the phrase "turning to face" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

facing around

Implies a more general re-orientation without necessarily looking at something specific.

pivoting towards

Emphasizes the act of rotating on a central point to orient in a new direction.

swiveling to look

Suggests a quick, pivoting motion to change the direction of gaze.

wheeling around

Suggests a rapid and possibly surprised change in orientation.

orienting oneself towards

A more formal way of describing the act of adjusting one's position to face something.

swinging around

Suggests a broad, sweeping motion to change direction.

angling to view

Implies a careful adjustment of position to get a better look.

shifting to see

Implies a slight adjustment in position to allow for better visibility.

glancing towards

Describes a quick, indirect look in a specific direction.

looking back

Focuses on the act of looking in the opposite direction.

FAQs

How can I use "turning to face" in a sentence?

You can use "turning to face" to describe the action of someone physically changing their body position to look at someone or something. For example, "She was sitting at the table, but upon hearing her name, she started turning to face the speaker".

What are some alternatives to "turning to face"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "facing towards", "turning towards", or "looking back".

Is "turning to face" formal or informal?

The phrase "turning to face" is generally neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

When should I use "turning to face" instead of simply "looking at"?

Use "turning to face" when you want to emphasize the physical action of reorienting the body to look at something, rather than just the act of looking. For example, if someone was previously facing away and then rotates to look, "turning to face" is appropriate.