Turn Out the Lights, the Party's Over

Last week, I wrote about starting conversations at a meeting or a party.

One suggestion was to comment on the event where you are.

Example: This is a great turnout. This is a good turnout.

Turnout = the number of people that came

A great turnout means a lot of people came. A good turnout could be some people or a lot of people.

We should try to be positive, but if you want to say that you thought more people would come; you could say: I expected a better turnout.

Turn out is a phrasal verb (verb + preposition) which can be used in the same way.

A lot of people turned out! I thought more people would turn out.

When you make the phrasal verb, you can use it different ways, too.

One common meaning is to have some result.

The experience was very difficult, but everything turned out fine.

You can use this when you learn or discover a fact, after some time has passed.

He seemed like a nice guy at first; but he turned out to be a terrible person.

It's used to talk about something that is produced by a company.

Toyota turns out nearly 3 million cars in the U.S. every year.

Of course we also use it to mean turn off a light. It's the same meaning.

Turn out the lights and go to bed!

I hope that the second half of 2020 turns out to be better for everyone!

Take care!