Meaning & use
car
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A road vehicle with an engine, usually with four wheels, that carries a small number of people.
Grammar: Countable: use a car, the car, cars. You drive a car or go by car.
Patterns
- drive a car
- go by car
- get in a car
- a car accident
She drives her car to work every day.
We rented a car for our vacation in Italy.
The car broke down on the highway, so we called for help.
nouncountableAmerican
A separate section of a train, especially one for passengers.
Grammar: Countable; often used in American English for a train carriage. In British English, 'carriage' is more common.
Patterns
- a dining car
- a sleeping car
- the last car
We sat in the dining car and had lunch on the train.
The sleeping car was quiet, so I slept well.
nouncountableAmerican
The part of an elevator that carries people or goods up and down.
Grammar: Countable; used in American English. British English says 'lift'.
Patterns
- elevator car
- the car stopped
The elevator car was full, so we waited for the next one.
He stepped into the elevator car and pressed the button for the tenth floor.
Word forms
| plural | cars |
|---|
Common combinations
- by car
- We traveled to the beach by car.
- car park
- The car park was full, so we parked on the street.
- car accident
- He was injured in a car accident last year.
- sports car
- He bought a red sports car.
- car insurance
- Car insurance is expensive for young drivers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- automobile
- A formal or old-fashioned word for a car, used mainly in American English.
- vehicle
- A general word for any machine that carries people or goods, including cars, buses, and trucks.
- motor
- A British informal word for a car; less common than 'car'.
Word family
- carful noun
- The amount that a car can carry.
- carload noun
- The number of people or amount of goods that a car can carry.
Commonly confused: car or cart? car or carriage?
car vs cart
A cart is a vehicle with wheels that is pulled by an animal or pushed by hand, not powered by an engine.
car vs carriage
In British English, a carriage is a separate section of a train for passengers; in American English, this is called a car.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'car' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'By car' is a fixed phrase meaning 'using a car' and does not take an article. 'By a car' or 'by the car' is not used for means of transport.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “car”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.