Turn off the monitor vs turn the monitor off?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Nancy Allison wondered: <<A friend is asking me what the rule is (or  
if there is one) that  determines whether you write "Turn the monitor  
off" or "Turn off the monitor.">>

You're asking about the difference between a phrasal verb ("turn off")  
and a simple verb ("turn") whose explanation appears at the end of the  
sentence. Although phrasal verbs aren't always clear (mostly when  
they're idiomatic), "turn off" is clearer than the simple verb:  
someone whose English isn't too strong may wonder about (for example)  
which way they should rotate (turn) the monitor.


--------------------------------------------------------
Geoff Hart (www.geoff-hart.com)
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
--------------------------------------------------------
***Now available***  _Effective onscreen editing_
(http://www.geoff-hart.com/books/eoe/onscreen-book.htm)

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