When you need this

A freeway is a big, fast road with no traffic lights and no crossings. You get on it from a ramp, you drive in lanes, and you get off at a numbered exit. On the West Coast, in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, people call it "the freeway." In most of the country you'll hear "the highway" or "the interstate" for the same kind of road. An interstate is a highway with a number that crosses state lines, like Interstate 5.

So directions on a freeway sound different. Nobody says "turn left." They say "get on," "stay in the right lane," "take exit fourteen," "get off at Main Street." The exit number and the exit name are the two things to remember.

Phrases

a fast road with no lights or crossings; also called the highway or interstate

drive onto it from a ramp

the short road you use to get on the freeway

leave the freeway at a numbered exit

the short road you use to leave the freeway

leave the freeway at an exit with this name

drive in the lane on the right side

join the traffic in another lane or road

a lane for cars with two or more people

a highway you pay to use

going north or south

you drove past the exit you needed

Say it out loud

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Practice · 3 min

Say the line that fits. Situation on the left, one natural line on the right.

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Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.