turn up — arrive unexpectedly
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
To arrive somewhere, especially when you are not expected or when it was not certain you would come.
Say it like a native
Textbook He arrived without any prior notice.
Native He just turned up out of the blue.
'Turn up' is the casual verb for showing up, often unexpectedly; 'arrived without prior notice' is formal.
Pattern: turn up (at/in/on, etc.) [place/event]
In use
- He didn’t turn up to the meeting until it was almost over.daily life
- Sometimes, my friends turn up at my house without telling me first, which can be a nice surprise.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ He turned up at late.
✓ He turned up late.
'Turn up late' — no 'at'.
Common collocations
turn up + arrival— late, out of the blue, unannounced, on time
Don't confuse it
'Turn up' can sound more informal and surprising than 'arrive'.
Related
- turn up (increase volume or heat) — Another meaning of 'turn up' is 'increase volume or heat'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.