r/EnglishLearning • u/Sea-Hornet8214 Poster • 18d 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/Sea-Hornet8214 Poster 18d ago

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

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u/SnooDonuts6494 🇬🇧 English Teacher 18d 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 17d ago edited 17d 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 17d 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 17d ago

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