Reaching the Airport by Cab

Rahul books a cab early in the morning to reach the airport in time for his flight, discussing the route and traffic with the driver.

Meanings in Rahul, Cab driver

Key words and phrases

caba car hired with a driver to take you somewhereHe booked a cab to the airport at 4 am.

trafficvehicles moving on the road, especially when slow or congestedThere was heavy traffic near the toll.

routethe way or path taken to reach a placeThe driver took a shorter route to save time.

farethe price charged for a rideThe fare to the airport was six hundred rupees.

estimated time of arrivalthe predicted time you will reach your destinationThe app showed an estimated time of arrival of thirty minutes.

tolla fee paid to use certain roads or highwaysWe had to pay a toll on the highway.

luggagebags and suitcases carried while travellingPlease help me load the luggage in the boot.

bootthe storage space at the back of a carThe suitcase fit easily in the boot.

in advanceahead of time, before something happensBook the cab in advance for early morning flights.

drivera person who drives a vehicleThe driver arrived five minutes early.

shortcuta quicker way to reach a placeThe driver knew a shortcut through the back lanes.

seatbelta strap that holds a passenger securely in the seatPlease fasten your seatbelt before we start.

GPS navigationa system that guides a driver using satellite location dataThe driver relied on GPS navigation to find the terminal.

terminalthe building at an airport where passengers check in and boardThe cab dropped him at Terminal 2.

surge pricinga temporary price increase during high demandThe early morning fare had surge pricing added.

cancellationthe act of calling off a bookingThere was no cancellation fee since the driver was late.

pickup pointthe location where a passenger is collectedThe driver confirmed the pickup point on the app.

highwaya main road connecting cities, allowing fast travelThe cab took the highway to save time.

diversiona change in the usual route due to roadwork or blockageThere was a diversion because of ongoing construction.

punctualarriving or doing something at the expected timeThe driver was very punctual and arrived early.

Useful sentences

Ask Can you book a cab for 4 am tomorrow?
Answer Yes, I've booked it in advance.
Ask How much is the fare to the airport?
Answer The fare is around six hundred rupees.
Ask What is the estimated time of arrival?
Answer We should reach in about forty minutes.
Ask Is there heavy traffic on this route?
Answer Not much right now, but it can build up near the toll.
Ask Can you help me with the luggage?
Answer Sure, let me put it in the boot.
Ask Are you using GPS navigation to find the terminal?
Answer Yes, it shows Terminal 2 is the fastest route from here.
Ask Is there any surge pricing at this hour?
Answer A little, since it's very early in the morning.
Ask Should I fasten my seatbelt now?
Answer Yes, it's safer, especially on the highway.
Ask Is there a diversion anywhere on the way?
Answer Just a small one near the toll, nothing serious.
Ask Will we still reach the terminal on time?
Answer Yes, we're right on schedule, no need to worry.

Dialogue

RahulGood morning, I need to reach the airport by 6 am.

DriverNo problem, sir. We have plenty of time, traffic is light right now.

RahulGreat. Can you help me put my luggage in the boot?

DriverOf course, sir. Please get in.

RahulWhat is the estimated time to reach?

DriverAbout thirty-five minutes, there might be a small toll on the way.

RahulAre you using GPS navigation, or do you know a shortcut?

DriverI know a shortcut, sir. It will avoid the diversion near the toll.

RahulThat sounds good. Please fasten your seatbelt too.

DriverAlready done, sir. We'll reach the terminal well before your check-in closes.

Common mistakes

Saying "take a cab" and "book a cab" interchangeably when timing matters — booking is done ahead, taking happens when you get in.
Saying "put luggage in dickey" — the correct English word is "boot" (British) or "trunk" (American), not "dickey."
Saying "what is the fare of cab" instead of "what is the cab fare" or "how much is the fare."
Saying "wear the seatbelt" instead of "fasten your seatbelt" — seatbelts are fastened, not worn like clothes.
Saying "I am punctual driver" instead of "I am a punctual driver" — the article "a" is required before a singular countable noun.
Saying "go by shortcut" instead of "take a shortcut" — English uses "take," not "go by," with the word "shortcut."

Quick quiz

1. What is the "boot" of a car?

2. A fee paid to use certain roads is called a ___.

3. Complete: "Book the cab ___ for early morning flights."

4. The building at an airport where passengers check in and board is the ___.

5. What is "surge pricing"?

6. A change in the usual route due to roadwork is called a ___.

Practise speaking and listening

The free Day to Day English app turns every lesson into practice with audio, a story you follow and more than 1680 words to learn.

Free for AndroidPractise in the app

menu_book Key words and phrases

forum Useful sentences

chat Dialogue

error Common mistakes

quiz Quick quiz