16 English PHRASAL VERBS & IDIOMS about Driving

Welcome back to engVid with me, Benjamin.

Today we're looking at phrasal verbs to do with driving.

If you're coming to the UK, a US- and English-speaking country, you may well find yourself getting

in a car, so being able to use one of these phrasal verbs could benefit you.

Also, to work on your fluency for an IELTS speaking, this may well help.

So, my son is really into the Beach Boys.

So, in my imagination, we are going over to California today, and we're going to be hopping

in a car and going surfing; we're going to go to the beach.

But en route, we are going to need to "pick up" the surfboards.

So, as we're going, we pick up.

So, this is something we're picking up; we are collecting.

We need to collect the surfboards.

At the surfboard hire shop, we see some friends, and we offer to give them a ride.

Okay?

"Give", here, sort of means provide; I'll write that.

To provide a lift; to act as a taxi.

They ask (our friends) if they can be "dropped off" en route.

So, they don't want to come all of the way to the beach; they want to stop beforehand.

We are going to drop them off - that just means they get out of the car.

Okay?

"Drop" - we drop them out of the car, and on to the pavement; or sidewalk, if you're

in North America.

I did ask them, though, once they got in the car to "buckle up".

I know we're going to the beach, but even so, it's important to be safe.

Now, in England, we can use this phrase to mean sort your behaviour out.

So, if a child is being a bit naughty, you could say: "Buckle up" - it just means start behaving.

Buckle up - be safe, be secure, be proper.

Obviously I'm really excited that the waves are there on the beach; it's going to be a

good day surfing.

So, I'm revving the engine because I want to get there.

Okay?

So, "rev" short for "revolution" - the engine is going around and around.

That's from me putting my foot on the accelerator, revving the engine.

The car's not yet moving; I'm just feeling the engine, I'm getting to... you know, I'm

enjoying the mechanics of the car.

Everyone's ready, we've dropped off our friends en route; my friend Harry is in the car, we

have our surfboards, we need to get there, so: "I'm going to put my foot on the pedal".

If I'm using the UK version of the phrasal verb, which pedal am I putting on?

Not the brake, not the clutch - the accelerator.

I want to go there.

If I was in North America, perhaps I would say: "Put your pedal on the gas."

Okay?

But we call gas "petrol".

Right.

I don't know if you've watched my video on how to tell a good story, but it involved

running out of petrol.

It seems to be a recurring theme; "recurring" meaning to happen again and again.

"Oh, dear, there's no petrol, so we need to pull in."

Pull in.

We go to the side to a petrol station (the gas station) to get some more petrol.

Okay?

"Pull in" means to turn in.

We're "making a pit stop".

This comes from Formula 1 racing where the racing drivers gets some assistance to the

side of the track-okay?-the tires changed, the driver takes... does he take his helmet off?

I don't know; I don't watch it.

But it means to be ready for the next stage of the journey.

I "fill up" the car with the petrol, put the nozzle in, put the nozzle, the silver in,

the petrol goes in, the car fills up with petrol and off we go.

Oh, look, at the traffic lights there's some other friends who have also got surfboards,

and they are going to the beach, too.

We "draw up" level with them.

So, there we are - we're at the traffic lights, and we draw up; that means we become level with.

So, we're both driving open-top cars, okay?

And we say: "First one to the beach wins."

Obviously we're going to obey all the national restrictions on speeding, but we may wish

"to overtake" a car if it was going particularly slowly.

"Overtake" means to go around so that you can continue driving at the safe speed that

you want to drive at, which is just a little bit faster than this car, here.

A bad driver would "cut someone off".

So, this car is going that way, but they would overtake in such a way that this car kind

of had to stop here because they would cut in; they would cut into their path.

That's not good driving; we're not going that.

We're having a nice drive to the beach.

Okay.

"To be in the fast lane".

Okay?

In the UK, the left lane is the slow lane.

If you want to overtake, you go into this lane - the right-hand lane to overtake.

"To be in the fast lane" means you're going slightly faster.

But we can also use this in a more general use.

"To be in the fast lane" means you're going places.

You're a successful person; you get to travel around the world; you're doing well.

Now, my friend starts giving me some advice whilst I am driving.

He says: "Turn left, there."

Now, if someone is giving advice to the driver and telling them how to drive, it means they

are being a "backseat driver".

Obviously you can't drive the car from the back seat; you have to be in the front seat,

so it means giving instructions from the back.

Oh, no, there's something out on the road in front.

Slam on the brakes.

"Slam" - that implies a violent, sudden movement.

I suddenly put the brakes on.

Oh, dear, I have "run over" a rabbit.

Okay?

Obviously the car is not running, but the phrasal verb "run over", over, go over the

top, run over - you've knocked it over.

Okay?

We've got some roadkill; you've killed the rabbit.

I'm so upset that I've killed this rabbit that I need to "pull over".

Hope we've learnt something from today's lesson.

Let's have a quick revise: To pick someone up en route; give them a ride; give them a

lift; drop them off where they want to go; buckle up - put that seatbelt on and mind

your behaviour, too; rev the engine, but don't behave like an idiot; put your foot on the

gas or the pedal to go a bit faster; pull in when you need to, at a safe place; make

a pit stop-okay?-get necessary supplies, have a quick cup of coffee; fill up with petrol;

draw up level with the other car; avoid cutting people off, but overtake if you need to;

be in the fast lane - you're going places; to be a backseat driver - very annoying; slam

on the brakes, if it's safe to do so; "Have you run something over?"

I hope not.

It's time to pull over and pull into the next lesson.

Until next time, drive safe.