inside lane

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableBritish

   The lane of a road that is closest to the side, often used for slower traffic.

   Grammar: Countable: 'the inside lane,' 'an inside lane.'

   Patterns

   • in the inside lane
   • stay in the inside lane
   • move into the inside lane

   Slow vehicles should stay in the inside lane.

   She moved into the inside lane to let the ambulance pass.

   The inside lane was closed for repairs.

2. 2nouncountablesport

   The lane on a running track that is nearest to the center of the track.

   Grammar: Countable: 'the inside lane,' 'the inside lanes.'

   Patterns

   • run in the inside lane
   • the inside lane
   • start in the inside lane

   He started in the inside lane and quickly took the lead.

   Runners in the inside lane have a shorter distance to cover.

   She prefers the inside lane because she can see her rivals.

Word forms

Common combinations

stay in the inside lane

Please stay in the inside lane if you are driving slowly.

move into the inside lane

He moved into the inside lane to overtake.

the inside lane is closed

The inside lane is closed because of roadworks.

run in the inside lane

She likes to run in the inside lane.

Synonyms and how they differ

slow lane

Informal and mainly British; it means the lane for slower traffic, which is usually the inside lane.

nearside lane

British and technical; it is the lane nearest the edge of the road, often the same as the inside lane.

Opposites

Word family

lane noun

A narrow road or one of the strips that a road is divided into.

inside adjective

Located nearest the center or the inner part.

Commonly confused: inside lane or outside lane?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “inside lane”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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