Words like turn, become, get, and go can describe changes and transformations –
but they’re each used in different expressions.
Use turn for colors:
▶️ Bananas turn black if you put them in the refrigerator.
▶️ The sky turned pink and orange during the sunset.
▶️ My uncle’s hair is turning white.
Use turn into when talking about a complete transformation:
▶️ The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.
▶️ The couch in the living room can turn into a bed.
▶️ My dream turned into a nightmare.
In informal English, use get with emotions:
▶️ I got angry when my colleague said things about me that weren’t true.
▶️ My son’s getting excited about his birthday party next week. He’ll be 5.
▶️ We always get really bored in history class.
You can also use get with comparative adjectives:
▶️ It’s gotten more expensive to buy an apartment in this city.
▶️ I’m getting better at playing the piano – I’ve been practicing a lot.
▶️ It’s getting easier and easier for me to understand movies in English!
Become can be used with emotions and comparative adjectives in more formal
English:
▶️ My sister became depressed after she moved to a new city.
▶️ It’s becoming more difficult to balance work and life in the modern world.
Always use become with professions (never “get” or “turn”):
▶️ My son is studying really hard. He wants to become a lawyer someday.
▶️ Shirley Temple became a famous actress when she was just four years old.
Finally, use go with these specific words:
▶️ go crazy
▶️ go blind
▶️ go deaf
▶️ go bald
▶️ go bad (when food or drink becomes bad and you can’t eat it)