Meaning trap
turn down
reduce volume or heat
to make something, like the sound or heat, lower or less strong.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to make something, like the sound or heat, lower or less strong.
Another meaning of 'turn down' is 'reject'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
Could you turn down the music? It's too loud.
When I study, I always turn down the volume on my phone so I can concentrate better.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: Can you turn down it?
Say: Can you turn it down?
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'turn it down'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Turn down' is the everyday verb for lowering volume/heat; 'decrease the volume' is manual-speak.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
turn down + level
- the volume
- the heating
- the music
- the lights
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- turn down (reject) — Another meaning of 'turn down' is 'reject'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.