Appear vs They hope maybe he'll turn up

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Appear

Top 1,000 (very common)A2

They hope maybe he'll turn up

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Appear
 AppearThey hope maybe he'll turn up
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/əˈpɪə(r)/","/əˈpɪəz/","/əˈpɪəd/","/əˈpɪərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈpɪr/","/əˈpɪrz/","/əˈpɪrd/","/əˈpɪrɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //ðeɪ hoʊp ˈmeɪbi hiːl tɜrn ʌp//🇺🇸 //ðeɪ hoʊp ˈmeɪbi hil tɜrn ʌp//
Meaningto come into view or be seenThey want him to arrive or appear.
ExampleShe decided to appear in the school play this year.They hope maybe he'll turn up at the party tonight.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelA2-
Collocationssuddenly, from nowhere, magically, suddenly, from nowhere, magically, currently, frequently, occasionally, at, appear on television, at, appear before a court, appear before a judge, appear before a magistratehope he will turn up, turn up unexpectedly, turn up late, turn up again
Antonymsdisappear, vanish, fade-
Common mistakesUsing 'appear' with a noun directly, instead of an adjective., Confusing 'appear' with 'disappear'., Misusing 'appear' in the past tense or perfect forms.Confusing 'turn up' with 'show up'; they can be similar but have different nuances., Using 'might' instead of 'maybe' incorrectly; 'might' indicates possibility not suggestion., Using 'turn up' in a formal context; it's best for informal situations.
Usage notesUse 'appear' to describe how something looks or becomes visible. It's suitable for both spoken and written English but avoid in very casual contexts. 'Seem' can sometimes be used interchangeably, but 'appear' is more about visual presence.Use 'turn up' for casual contexts, especially in spoken English. It is less formal than 'arrive'. Avoid in very formal writing.

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Appear
They hope maybe he'll turn up

Frequently asked questions: Appear vs They hope maybe he'll turn up

What's the difference between Appear and They hope maybe he'll turn up?

Appear: to come into view or be seen They hope maybe he'll turn up: They want him to arrive or appear.

Which is more common: Appear and They hope maybe he'll turn up?

Appear is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Appear: She decided to appear in the school play this year. They hope maybe he'll turn up: They hope maybe he'll turn up at the party tonight.

Can I use Appear and They hope maybe he'll turn up interchangeably?

Not always. Appear and They hope maybe he'll turn up are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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