Mr. Maru: What are you doing?

Sparky: I'm writing vocabulary words on arm for the test.

Mr. Maru: That's cheating!

Sparky: I don't care. I'm going to cheat the test.

Mr. Maru: I don't want to pick on you, but don't plan on the teacher liking that.

Sparky: Don't worry, I can count her. She's been taking too much work. She's too busy.

Mr. Maru: Taking too much work?

What is the difference between turn on and turn off?  plan and plan on?  cheat and cheat on?  Phrasal verbs or two-part verbs are difficult. Today we are going to try to explain phrasal verbs with 'on' in them. The 'on' can give the verb different meanings. Let's look at the first meaning:

To change to one choice of two choices

This usually means to give electricity to something. For example,

I turned on the lights. (I gave electricity to the lights. They are now bright or on.)

I switched on the computer. (I gave electricity to the computer. It is now running.)

I flipped on the TV. (I gave electricity to the TV. I can now watch TV.)

I put on my jacket. (The jacket was off. It was not 'on' my body. Now I have it 'on' my body.)

The new show 48 came on the TV. (48 appeared on the TV. It will go off the TV later.)

To continue doing something

This is like you turn on a machine and it keeps running until you turn it off.

He carried on the conversation for hours. (He kept talking. He talked for several hours.)

She was counting on her big bonus. She wanted to buy Christmas presents. (She continued depending on the bonus. She relied on the bonus.)

To focus an action on something

This is the most difficult to understand. Let's look at examples:

He planned the hike. (He got a map. He decided the meeting time and place. He checked the train schedule.)

He planned on hiking. (He was going to hike. He didn't get a map or decide the meeting time and place.)

He cheated the test. (He didn't take the test. He tricked the test. This sentence sounds strange/unnatural.)

He cheated on the test. (He didn't study. He was not fair when he took the test.)

Let's take a quick quiz to review:

Please fill in the blank:

1) He _________ working. He didn't stop.

A) turned on

B) planned on

C) carried on

2) She ______ the radio. It started playing music.

A) turned off

B) switched on

C) sounded on

3) The woman ________ the meeting. She wrote the agenda. She invited the people.

A) planned

B) planned on

C) planned off

Answers:

1. C) carried on - he continued working. She didn't stop.

2. B) switched on - she gave electricity to the radio. It started playing music.

3. A) planned - she planned the details of the meeting.

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