Give Up and Turn Out

Overview

Give up and turn out are two of the most frequently used phrasal verbs in English, and both carry several meaningfully different uses. Give up is built around the idea of stopping or relinquishing something. Turn out is built around outcomes and discoveries. Neither meaning is predictable from the component words alone.

Give Up: Meanings and Uses

Meaning 1: To Stop Doing Something Because It Is Too Difficult

The first and most universally recognised meaning of give up is to abandon an attempt at something, usually because it has become too difficult, frustrating, or hopeless. Cambridge lists this use at B1.

Give up can be used intransitively (without an object) or followed by the -ing form of a verb naming the activity being abandoned.

Meaning 2: To Stop a Habit or Regular Activity

Give up is also used to describe stopping a habit, a regular behaviour, or a lifestyle choice, particularly one that affects health. Cambridge lists this at B1. The object is the habit or activity being stopped.

When the thing being given up is expressed as a verb, the -ing form follows give up.

Meaning 3: To Surrender or Relinquish Something

Give up can also mean to hand over something one has a claim to, or to abandon something one possesses or controls. This meaning is more formal and often appears in professional or legal contexts.

In this meaning, give up is transitive and separable. Pronouns go between give and up.

Meaning 4: To Lose Hope in Someone or Something

Give up on is a related form used to describe losing hope that someone will succeed, improve, or arrive, or that something will happen. Cambridge lists this separately under give up on.

Summary Table: Give Up

Turn Out: Meanings and Uses

Meaning 1: To Result or Develop in a Particular Way

The primary meaning of turn out is to happen or develop in a particular way, especially when the result is unexpected or different from what was anticipated. This use is always intransitive, frequently followed by an adverb or adjective describing how things developed.

Meaning 2: To Be Discovered or Revealed (Often Surprisingly)

A closely related meaning of turn out is to be found to be something, or to be revealed as a fact, often unexpectedly. This use typically follows the structure turn out to be plus a noun or adjective, or turn out that plus a clause.

The structure it turns out (that) is particularly common in spoken English as a way of revealing information that was not previously known.

Meaning 3: To Attend an Event or Go Somewhere

Turn out can also mean to go somewhere to attend or participate in an event. In this meaning it is intransitive and often appears in sentences describing crowds or numbers of attendees.

The related noun turnout describes the number of people who attended or voted.

Meaning 4: To Switch Off a Light (British English)

In British English, turn out is also used to mean switching off a light source. This is a practical, informal use, more common in older or regional British usage.

Summary Table: Turn Out

Object Position and Grammar Patterns

Give up in its habit and surrender meanings is separable transitive. The object can follow the full phrasal verb or go between give and up. When the object is a pronoun, it must go between the two parts.

When give up is followed by another verb rather than a noun, the -ing form is required. The infinitive is not used.

Turn out in its primary meanings (result, revelation, attendance) is intransitive and takes no direct object. In the light-switching meaning, it is separable transitive and follows the same pronoun rules.

Give Up and Turn Out Compared

These two phrasal verbs rarely overlap in meaning, but both are used when discussing outcomes, efforts, and expectations.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using the Infinitive Instead of the -ing Form After Give Up

When give up is followed by a verb, the -ing form is always required. The infinitive is not used after give up in standard English.

Mistake 2: Placing a Pronoun After Up in Give Up

When the object of give up is a pronoun, it must go between give and up, not after up.

Mistake 3: Using Turn Out Transitively in the Result Meaning

In its result and revelation meanings, turn out is intransitive. Adding a direct object to these uses is incorrect.

Mistake 4: Confusing Give Up and Give Up On

Give up means to stop doing something. Give up on means to lose hope in someone or something. Using one when the other is intended changes the meaning.

Mistake 5: Adding an Object After Turn Out in the Attendance Meaning

When turn out means to attend an event, it is intransitive. The event is introduced by for, not placed directly after turn out as a direct object.

Mistake 6: Confusing Turn Out with Turn Up

Turn out (to attend) and turn up (to arrive, often unexpectedly or late) are often confused because both describe someone appearing at a place. The difference is one of expectation and tone.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Phrasal Verb

Fill each blank with the correct form of give up or turn out.

1. She _______ caffeine completely after her doctor advised her to.
2. Despite the early setbacks, the partnership _______ to be very productive.
3. He almost _______ when the problem seemed unsolvable, but he persisted.
4. Thousands of residents _______ for the public consultation meeting.
5. It _______ that the figures in the initial report had contained an error.
6. She _______ her stake in the company after the disagreement with the board.
7. The event _______ much better than the organisers had anticipated.
8. He _______ _______ the project after it lost funding for the third consecutive year.

Exercise 2: Correct the Error

Each sentence contains one error. Rewrite it correctly.

1. She gave up to try to convince them after the third rejection.
2. He finally gave up it after realising there was no path forward.
3. Thousands turned out the ceremony to show their support.
4. She decided to give up on smoking for the new year.
5. The situation turned out the company's weak internal controls.

Exercise 3: Identify the Meaning

Write which meaning is being used: (a) stop because too difficult, (b) stop a habit, (c) surrender or relinquish, (d) lose hope in someone, (e) result or develop in a way, (f) be discovered or revealed, or (g) attend an event.

1. She gave up trying to get a response from the agency.
2. It turned out that the venue had cancelled without notifying anyone.
3. Over eight hundred delegates turned out for the summit.
4. He gave up his claim to the inheritance.
5. Don't give up on her. She will come through in the end.
6. He gave up alcohol as part of a broader lifestyle change.
7. Despite the rocky start, the collaboration turned out exceptionally well.

Exercise 4: Complete the Sentence

Write the correct form of the phrasal verb in brackets.

1. She _______ (give up) smoking the day she found out she was expecting.
2. The results _______ (turn out) to be far more positive than the pilot study had suggested.
3. He realised he had to _______ (give up) control of the project if the team was to function independently.
4. It _______ (turn out) that the contract had never been formally signed.
5. Do not _______ (give up on) this approach until you have tested it properly.
6. They _______ (turn out) in record numbers to cast their votes in the local election.

Summary