Transportation and Vehicles Vocabulary

Types of Vehicles

a medium-sized road vehicle, used especially for carrying goods

Van

/væn/

an official car used by the police

Police car

/pəˈliːs ˌkɑːr/

a car with a driver who you pay to take you somewhere

Taxi

/ˈtæk.si/

a vehicle that takes people to and from hospitals

Ambulance

/ˈæm.bjə.ləns/

a vehicle carrying many passengers; used for public transport

Bus

/bʌs/

a small vehicle with four wheels in which a baby or child is pushed around

Baby carriage

/ˈbeɪ.bi ˌkær.ɪdʒ/

/ˈbeɪ.bi ˌker.ɪdʒ/

a board with wheels that is ridden in a standing or crouching position and propelled by foot

Skateboard

/ˈskeɪt.bɔːd/

/ˈskeɪt.bɔːrd/

a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals

Bicycle

/ˈbaɪ.sɪ.kəl/

/ˈbaɪ.sə.kəl/

a bicycle with thick tyres and a lot of gears, originally made for riding on hills and rough ground, but now often used on roads

Mountain bike

/ˈmaʊn.tɪn ˌbaɪk/

/ˈmaʊn.tən ˌbaɪk/

a vehicle with two wheels and an engine

Motorcycle

/ˈməʊ.təˌsaɪ.kəl/

/ˈmoʊ.t̬ɚˌsaɪ.kəl/

child’s two-wheeled vehicle operated by foot

Scooter

/ˈskuː.tər/

/ˈskuː.t̬ɚ/

a large, tall machine used for moving heavy objects

Crane

/kreɪn/

a vehicle carrying firefighters and equipment for fighting large fires.

Fire engine

/ˈfaɪər ˌen.dʒɪn/

/ˈfaɪr ˌen.dʒɪn/

a powerful motor vehicle with large back wheels and thick tyres. Used in farming for pulling machinery

Tractor

/ˈtræk.tər/

/ˈtræk.tɚ/

a vehicle with two bars in the front for lifting and carrying heavy goods

Forklift

/ˈfɔːklɪft/

/ˈfɔrkˌlift/

a machine with a large container that turns round and round, used for mixing cement with sand, gravel, and water to make concrete.

Cement mixer

/sɪˈment ˌmɪk.sər/

/sɪˈment ˌmɪk.sɚ/

a railway system in which electric trains travel through tunnels below the surface of the ground (usually in a city)

Subway

/ˈsʌb.weɪ/

a truck with a body that tilts or opens at the back for unloading.

Dump truck

/ˈdʌmp ˌtrʌk/

a type of aircraft without wings that obtains its lift from the rotation of overhead blades

Helicopter

/ˈhel.ɪˌkɒp.tər/

/ˈhel.əˌkɑːp.tɚ/

large tough non rigid bag filled with gas or heated air

Balloon

/bəˈluːn/

a vehicle designed for air travel that has wings and one or more engines

Airplane

/ˈeə.pleɪn/

/ˈer.pleɪn/

a wheeled vehicle that runs on rails and is propelled by electricity

Tram

/træm/

a small vehicle for travelling on water

Boat

/bəʊt/

/boʊt/

a small boat propelled by oars

Rowboat

/ˈrəʊ ˌbəʊt/

/ˈroʊ ˌboʊt/

a series of railroad cars moved as a unit by a locomotive or by integral motors.

Train

/treɪn/

a vehicle with wheels drawn by one or more horses

Carriage

/ˈkær.ɪdʒ/

/ˈker.ɪdʒ/

Types of Ships and Boats

a small vehicle for travelling on water

Boat

/bəʊt/

/boʊt/

a large boat for transporting people or goods by sea.

Ship

/ʃɪp/

a boat or ship for conveying passengers and goods, especially over a relatively short distance and as a regular service

Ferry

/ˈfer.i/

a small fast military ship

Destroyer

/dɪˈstrɔɪ.ər/

/dɪˈstrɔɪ.ɚ/

a very large military ship with big guns

Battleship

/ˈbæt.əl.ʃɪp/

/ˈbæt̬.əl.ʃɪp/

a flat-bottom boat for carrying heavy loads (especially on canals)

Barge

/bɑːdʒ/

/bɑːrdʒ/

a sailing ship with two or more masts

Schooner

/ˈskuː.nər/

/ˈskuː.nɚ/

small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle

Canoe

/kəˈnuː/

a light flat-bottomed boat used on Venetian canals

Gondola

/ˈɡɒn.dəl.ə/

/ˈɡɑːn.dəl.ə/

a medium-sized sailboat equipped for cruising or racing

Yacht

/jɒt/

/jɑːt/

a ship that can travel underwater

Submarine

/ˌsʌb.məˈriːn/

a fishing boat that uses a trawl net or dragnet to catch fish

Trawler

/ˈtrɔː.lər/

/ˈtrɑː.lɚ/

a craft capable of moving over water or land on a cushion of air created by jet engines

Hovercraft

/ˈhɒv.ə.krɑːft/

/ˈhɑː.vɚ.kræft/

a small boat with sails

Sailboat

/ˈseɪl.bəʊt/

/ˈseɪl.boʊt/