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B1Travelling by Car

What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down

Phrasal Verb: break down |Grammar: Past Simple

Objective

Students will learn the meaning of 'break down' in a car travel context and practise using the Past Simple tense to talk about car problems.

Article

Last weekend, Sarah and Tom travelled to the countryside by car. Unfortunately, their car broke down on the way. They stopped on the side of the road and checked the engine. The car had broken down because the battery was dead. They called a mechanic who arrived quickly. The mechanic fixed the problem, but the car broke down again after a few kilometres. This time, they decided to wait for a tow truck. Finally, the car was taken to a garage, and they continued their trip the next day. Breaking down during a journey is frustrating, but it’s important to stay calm and find help. Many drivers have broken down on the road at least once, so it’s good to know what to do if it happens to you.

Grammar Explanation

Meaning

To 'break down' means that a machine, especially a car, stops working.

Grammar Note

The Past Simple tense is used to talk about completed actions or events in the past, often with time expressions.

Usage Tips

  • Use 'broke down' when describing a car that stopped working in the past.
  • Always use the Past Simple form of the verb with specific past times (e.g., last weekend).
  • Combine 'break down' with help or repair phrases to describe what happened next.

Examples

Our car broke down on the motorway last Saturday.

Describes when the car stopped working

She called the mechanic after the car broke down.

Explains what happened following the problem

The engine broke down during the long trip.

Specifies the part that stopped working

They waited for an hour because their car broke down.

Shows the result of the problem

I broke down once while driving to the beach.

Personal experience in the past

Dialogue

Context: Two friends discuss a car problem during a road trip.

A:
Our car broke down near the service station yesterday.
B:
Oh no! What happened exactly?
A:
The engine overheated and then it broke down completely.
B:
Did you call for help?
A:
Yes, we called a tow truck and waited for an hour.
B:
That must have been frustrating, but at least you got help quickly.

Vocabulary

engine
The part of a vehicle that makes it move
Example: The engine stopped working suddenly.
Synonym: motor
mechanic
A person who repairs cars
Example: The mechanic fixed the car quickly.
Synonym: repairer
tow truck
A truck used to pull broken or damaged cars
Example: We called a tow truck after the breakdown.
Synonym: recovery vehicle
battery
A device that provides electrical power to a car
Example: The battery died and caused the car to break down.
Synonym: power cell
overheated
Got too hot, especially an engine
Example: The engine overheated during the long drive.
Synonym: got too hot
service station
A place where you can get petrol and car repairs
Example: We stopped at a service station when the car broke down.
Synonym: garage
breakdown
The event when a vehicle stops working
Example: The car had a breakdown on the motorway.
Synonym: failure
trip
A journey from one place to another
Example: We enjoyed our trip until the car broke down.
Synonym: journey
frustrating
Causing annoyance or upset
Example: It was frustrating when the car broke down.
Synonym: annoying
repair
To fix something that is broken
Example: The mechanic repaired the car quickly.
Synonym: fix

Tips

  • Always keep emergency phone numbers ready in case your car breaks down.
  • Stay inside the car or nearby in a safe place while waiting for help.
  • Don’t say 'breakdown' as a verb; use 'break down' as a phrasal verb instead.

Summary

In this lesson, you learned that 'break down' means a car stops working. We practised the Past Simple tense to describe car problems in the past. Now you can talk about car breakdowns and what happened during your trips.

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