Meaning trap
turn to
resort to (negative)
to begin doing something undesirable, harmful, or morally questionable, especially as a way of coping with difficulties or when other options have failed
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to begin doing something undesirable, harmful, or morally questionable, especially as a way of coping with difficulties or when other options have failed
'turn to' also has the more basic meaning 'to go to someone for help or advice'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- After losing his job, he turned to gambling as a way to escape his problems.crime
- When people face prolonged unemployment, some may turn to crime as a means of survival, highlighting the need for effective social support systems.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: turn to + noun (often negative: crime, violence, drugs, alcohol, theft, etc.)
WrongShe turned into crime.
RightShe turned to crime.
'Turn TO' (resort to), not 'turn into' (become).
Patternturn to + noun (often negative: crime, violence, drugs, alcohol, theft, etc.)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Turn to' something harmful is the idiomatic way to describe resorting to it; 'resorted to as a coping mechanism' is clinical.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
turn to + viceto drinkto crimeto drugsto gambling
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 sense ('turn to someone for help'), this sense is not about seeking support but about resorting to a negative behavior or solution, often as a last resort.
Related
- turn to (to go to someone for help or advice) — 'turn to' also has the more basic meaning 'to go to someone for help or advice'; this is the advanced sense.