Plug in means to connect a device: put a plug into a socket or a cable into a port. Plug in the charger, plug the speakers into the laptop. Turning the device on with a button is a different action: switch on or turn on.
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plug in + device; plug it in; plug + device + into + socket/laptop
- Don't forget to plug in your phone before you go to bed.
- I plugged the speakers into my laptop, and the sound got much better.
- The printer isn't broken — someone just forgot to plug it in.
What changed
First versionI plugged my laptop to the projector, but nothing appeared on the screen.
RevisionI plugged my laptop into the projector, but nothing appeared on the screen.
Connect to makes to seem natural here. But the cable goes inside the port, so English uses into: plug the laptop into the projector. The pattern is simple: plug + what + into + where.
The noun plug-in (or plugin) is an add-on for a program: a browser plug-in. And a plug-in hybrid is a hybrid car you charge from a socket.
Your turn
I've pressed the kettle's button three times and nothing happens — the plug is still on the counter, so you need to ___ first.
Show the answer
plug it in — The kettle's button has already been pressed three times, and the plug is on the counter: the kettle isn't connected, so first you need to plug it in. Switch it on won't help: they've already tried turning it on, and without power the button does nothing.
Describe what you connect when you sit down to work or study. Name at least two devices and what you connect them to.
When I start work, I plug my laptop into the monitor and plug my headphones into the laptop.
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