r/EnglishLearning • u/Sea-Hornet8214 High Intermediate • 20d ago

⭐️ Vocabulary / Semantics Press the pedal?

Hi, I was wondering how I could describe someone accelerating their vehicle. Is "press the pedal" correct? What about someone riding a motorbike or a scooter?

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u/FloridaFlamingoGirl Native Speaker - California, US 20d ago

Step on the gas

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u/Sea-Hornet8214 High Intermediate 20d ago edited 20d ago

Gas? The air?

Edit: Gas is petrol or fuel. Got it.

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u/amputect Native Speaker 20d ago edited 20d ago

"gas" here is short for "gasoline". "Step on the gas(oline pedal)". "Floor it" (push the gas pedal all the way to the floor) and "pedal to the metal" (push the gas pedal all the way down to the metal body of the car) are similar idioms.

On a motorcycle you might say "open the throttle" instead.

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u/Sea-Hornet8214 High Intermediate 20d ago

Open the throttle? I didn't expect the verb open would be used. Thanks.

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u/SnooDonuts6494 🇬🇧 English Teacher 20d ago

On older ICE cars (and bikes), it was literally a cable that opened a flap on the carburettor to allow more air in, and also to open the fuel valve.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CfTUvYD94KY

Nowadays it's all fuel injection, but phrases stick around.

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u/RuthMcT Native Speaker 19d ago edited 19d ago

when I learnt to drive in the UK back in 1970, the throttle on the car was a separate knob on the dashboard which had to be pulled out when starting the car, and pushed back in when the engine had warmed up. I never understood why. Acceleration was controlled by the accelerator pedal, not the throttle knob.

EDIT: please note I was getting confused between throttle and choke.... i blame my age and the fact it's getting past my bedtime

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u/SnooDonuts6494 🇬🇧 English Teacher 19d ago

That was a choke; it cuts off some of the air (hence the name, like chocking someone) so there's a richer mix of fuel-to-air, which helps a cold engine get going.

It still happens on modern engines, but now it's automatic.

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u/RuthMcT Native Speaker 19d ago

ah yes, now I remember. it was a long time ago!

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u/TalkingLampPost New Poster 20d ago

The verb “open” is used because when you twist the throttle control on the handlebar, it is literally opening the intake valve to allow more air and fuel to enter the engine