Types of Transport

This lesson introduces common types of transport and how they are used in business and everyday contexts. You will learn vocabulary for land, air and water transport, collocations (words that commonly go together), and useful phrases for describing journeys and commuting.

• Know the main categories: land, air, water.
• Learn common collocations: by car, on the bus, take a taxi, catch a flight.
• Use the correct word in professional contexts: travel by train, freight by truck, client arriving by plane.

Learn which words commonly go together and which prepositions to use with transport vocabulary.

• Use 'by' for general modes: by car, by train, by plane, by bike.
• Use 'on' for specific public vehicles: on the bus, on the train, on the plane (when talking about being inside a specific vehicle).
• Use 'in' for private vehicles when focusing on the interior: in the car, in the taxi.
• Use verbs correctly: drive a car, ride a bike, take the bus, catch a train, fly by plane.

In formal writing, 'by' + mode is common (e.g., travel by train). For specifics, use 'on the' or 'in the' depending on the vehicle.

Learners often make predictable errors with transport vocabulary. Watch for these universal issues:

• Using the wrong preposition: 'on the car' instead of 'in the car' or 'by car'.
• Incorrect verb choice: saying 'ride a car' instead of 'drive a car' or 'take a car'.
• Mixing general vs. specific forms: 'by bus' (general) vs 'on the bus' (specific).
• Wrong article usage: omitting 'the' when referring to a specific vehicle (e.g., 'on bus' instead of 'on the bus').

Check prepositions, verbs, and articles when you use transport words.