Transport
What you will learn in this lesson:
Essential Vocabulary: Transport
Idioms Travel and Transport
Some useful Links
Essential Vocabulary: Topic Transport
When it comes to transport, in IELTS Speaking you may be asked about
both public and private transport and the differences, giving examples.
Here is some essential vocabulary for that.
Public transport (open to the general public - usually with schedules,
regular routes and you pay a fee)
We can also refer to public transport as -
Public transportation
Public transit
Examples:
Buses
Trains
Monorails and tramways
Light rail
Subways / The Underground / The Tube (London) / The Metro
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Taxi - tuku - rickshaw - cab - über
Cable cars
Rented Bikes
Ferries, ships, boats
Private transport
Examples:
Car
Bicycle
Scooter / moped / motorbike
Boat (own)
Horse
Rollerskates / skateboard
In the lesson we listened and identified the different means of
transport / travel. Notice the grammar and prepositions we can use to
talk about different kinds of transport.
I took / got a boat / ship / ferry / train She
caught the Subway / Underground / train
When actually boarding a vehicle we can say:
She got into her car / taxi
I got on the bus / train / plane
Generally speaking we can use travel by
She was lucky enough to travel by helicopter
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I like to travel by train, taxi, car, plane….
When a means or transport is leaving we can say:
The plane took off (and later landed) / departed
The train / coach left / departed at 6 p.m.
Collocations
Get stuck in the traffic = cannot move because there is a traffic jam
I hate being stuck in traffic
A travel itinerary = the route of the trip
I want to travel abroad (v.)
Domestic travel (n.)
I travel back and forth to somewhere (= go between 2 places many
times)
I live in Spain, but I travel back and forth to England twice a year.
I like to travel light = I don’t take many suitcases with me
Phrasal Verbs
To get around = to move around (a city)
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I get around my city by car most of the time.
Today’s Guest
Fiona Wattam
MA in TESOL,
IELTS trainer,
Teacher trainer
Winner of Cambridge English Language
Assessment/English UK Research Award 2015
Getting around your hometown
I tend to move around by bus, it’s really cheap and convenient.
I typically walk everywhere. I live in a small city so it’s easy to get
around on foot.
I don’t like driving because there are too many cars.
It’s congested = too many cars = a lot of traffic jams
There many cars in the rush hour (= peak time people go to work)
Cars are bumper to bumper (=close together and so cannot move)
Infrastructure (n. / uncountable) = roads, buildings, bridges
It’s a nightmare = a terrible thing
Pedestrian area (a pedestrian is a person who walks)
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Walking is so easy and a pleasure because we have so many
pedestrian areas.
Delays when travelling
I get (on) the train to Wales = take / travel by train
The hassle of driving = the stress and trouble
I was held up in traffic and missed the flight
I missed the plane = I was late and didn’t catch it
It was a disaster = a terrible thing
I got my money back in the end
The following both mean arrive well before the necessary time
Arrive in plenty of time
Arrive with time to spare
Transport in the future
I suppose electric cars will be more popular
I suspect cars running on gas will be a thing of the past
Electric vehicles = without gas or petrol
With climate change getting worse, more and more transportation will
run on electricity
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Everything is going in that direction
Driverless cars = cars without a driver
Hire a car = rent a car
Licences will become redundant - we don’t need them anymore
Manual cars = cars driven with a gearstick (opposite is automatic car)
A pain in the ass = a big problem
When it becomes mainstream - popular in everyday usage
I might start using a driverless car, when they become mainstream
It would make all the difference = it would have a big impact
Idioms about Transport
My wife is a backseat driver = someone who doesn’t drive, but tells the
drive how to drive!
At last, I am in the driver’s seat = to be in control
I got to the train station in the nick of time = just in time
We made it to the airport on time by the skin of our teeth = just
managed to do it (often meeting a deadline)
It’s already 6 o’clock and time we hit the road = to leave / start a
journey
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I have itchy feet = I love travelling / I want to travel I
have to get up at the crack of dawn = very early
Students’ Questions about Transport
Keith what type of transport is very popular in your
country?
It’s a good question. I think, in my country, I mean talking about
England; probably the trains are one of the most popular kinds of
transport.
Lots of people like to take the train, the inter-city rail system.
It’s relatively cheap although, unfortunately the trains are notorious for
(= famous for something bad) being late and I think that lack of
punctuality is a real downside for catching the train. Despite that, it’s
still a very popular way of getting around the country.
The woman has a carrot and a banana
A man was sitting at home alone on a sofa
The mother the brother the father and the sister altogether in a shopping
centre
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