start the car

Meaning

This phrase means to turn on the engine of a car so that it is ready to drive. You can do this by turning a physical key in the ignition or pressing a start button.

Examples

• Please start the car while I lock the front door.

  Please start the car while I lock the front door.

• It was so cold this morning that it took three tries to start the car.

  It was so cold this morning that it took three tries to start the car.

• Can you start the car and turn on the heater?

  Can you start the car and turn on the heater?

• He sat in the driver's seat and turned the key to start the car.

  He sat in the driver's seat and turned the key to start the car.

• Don't start the car until everyone has buckled their seatbelts.

  Don't start the car until everyone has buckled their seatbelts.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Can you open the car?

  ✓ Can you start the car?

  'Open the car' means to unlock the doors. To turn on the engine, you must use 'start the car'.

• ✗ I turned on the car to leave.

  ✓ I started the car to leave.

  While 'turn on' is sometimes used for electronics, 'start the car' is the most natural and common way to describe turning on the engine.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Put your seatbelt on before I ___.

  💡 Turn on the engine.

  Show answer

  start the car

• It is freezing outside, so please go and ___ to warm it up.

  💡 Turn on the vehicle's engine.

  Show answer

  start the car