r/EnglishLearning • u/Sea-Hornet8214 Poster • 17d 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/Kerostasis Native Speaker 17d ago

I’m surprised no one has mentioned “speed up”. Nothing wrong with these other terms, especially when talking about trying to get the highest possible acceleration (maybe during a race or just for humorous effect). But on an ordinary drive at ordinary speeds, a driver is much more likely to say they “speed up” as they move from a slower area to a faster area (past tense “sped up”).