vehicle

Everyday

1. A vehicle is something that carries people or things from place to place, like a car, bus, truck, train or bike. tree →
2. A vehicle can also be a way of getting an idea across, like a story used as a vehicle for a lesson. tree →

In the lessons

In maths: a thing counted (vehicles in a parking lot, on a ferry); wheels or seats counted per vehicle: wheels = vehicles × 4. Safety: look out for vehicles before crossing the road; emergency vehicles have sirens. In science: electric vehicles run on batteries. Phrases: motor vehicle, emergency vehicle, electric vehicle, no vehicles allowed.

Examples

• There are 24 vehicles in the parking lot. tree →
• Each vehicle has 4 wheels. tree →
• A ferry can carry 12 vehicles on each trip. tree →
• 5 vehicles left the garage. tree →
• Fire engines and ambulances are emergency vehicles. tree →
• No vehicles are allowed in the park. tree →
• Watch for vehicles before you cross the road. tree →
• An electric vehicle runs on a battery. tree →
• The clumsy vehicle stopped at the gate of the town; all the places had been taken, for there were twelve passengers in the coach. tree →

Note

Say «VEE-ih-kl»; the h is silent. Countable. Just the thing counted; «each vehicle has 4 wheels» is a rate, so wheels = vehicles × 4. Trap: cars and bikes are both vehicles but have different numbers of wheels.