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B1Travelling by Car

Speed Up: Driving Faster When Needed

Phrasal Verb: speed up |Grammar: Imperative

Objective

By the end of this lesson, students will understand the meaning of 'speed up' and be able to use it correctly in imperative sentences related to driving.

Article

When you are travelling by car, sometimes you need to speed up to keep up with traffic or reach your destination on time. To speed up means to increase your driving speed. For example, if the car in front is going too slowly, you might say, “Speed up, please!” Drivers need to speed up carefully to stay safe. Always check your mirrors and the road before you speed up. If there is an emergency, a police car may tell you to speed up to clear the way. Remember, do not speed up too much because it can be dangerous. When you drive on the highway, you might be asked to speed up to avoid traffic jams. So, when someone says, “Speed up!” it means you should drive faster, but always with caution. Use the command form to tell someone directly to increase their speed while driving.

Grammar Explanation

Meaning

To 'speed up' means to increase your speed or drive faster.

Grammar Note

The imperative form is used to give commands or instructions directly. It usually starts with the base form of the verb, like 'Speed up!'

Usage Tips

  • Use 'speed up' when asking someone to drive faster.
  • Be polite when giving commands to avoid sounding rude.
  • Always consider safety when telling someone to speed up.

Examples

Speed up to merge with the faster cars on the motorway.

Instruction to increase speed for safe merging

Speed up, or we will be late for the meeting.

Encouragement to drive faster to avoid being late

Please speed up when the traffic light turns green.

Request to increase speed after stopping

Speed up carefully; the road is slippery today.

Caution when increasing speed

If you want to catch the ferry, speed up now!

Urgent command to drive faster to catch transport

Dialogue

Context: Two friends are driving to a city and discussing their speed on the highway.

A:
We’re moving too slowly. Speed up, please!
B:
Okay, I’ll speed up but I’ll be careful.
A:
Good idea. Don’t forget to check the mirrors.
B:
I see a car behind us. I’ll speed up to let it pass.
A:
Perfect. Keep going like this.
B:
Alright, I’m speeding up now.

Vocabulary

Accelerate
To increase speed when driving
Example: You need to accelerate when entering the motorway.
Synonym: speed up
Merge
To join another lane or road
Example: Speed up to merge safely with other cars.
Synonym: join
Traffic
Vehicles moving on a road
Example: There is heavy traffic on the highway today.
Synonym: vehicles
Highway
A main road for fast traffic
Example: We are driving on the highway now.
Synonym: motorway
Mirror
A reflective surface to see behind the car
Example: Check your mirrors before changing lanes.
Synonym: reflector
Safety
Being protected from danger
Example: Always drive with safety in mind.
Synonym: security
Caution
Care taken to avoid danger
Example: Speed up with caution on wet roads.
Synonym: care
Emergency
A sudden, serious situation
Example: In an emergency, speed up to move out of the way.
Synonym: urgent situation
Command
An order or instruction
Example: The police gave a command to speed up.
Synonym: order
Destination
The place you are going to
Example: We need to speed up to reach our destination on time.
Synonym: goal

Tips

  • Always check your mirrors before you speed up.
  • Use polite imperatives like 'Please speed up' to sound friendly.
  • Don’t speed up in dangerous conditions like rain or heavy traffic.

Summary

In this lesson, you learned that 'speed up' means to drive faster. You also practised using the imperative form to give clear instructions while driving. Remember to always speed up safely and check your surroundings.

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