01 | Morning Commute

Today you will learn 5 new English words related to "Morning Commute"

Author

SEWT Team
June 09, 2025

The "morning commute" is a valuable topic for ESL learners, like yourself, to study for several reasons. Discussing commutes allows for natural conversation practice, enabling you to share your own experiences, ask questions, and improve your fluency in describing daily activities. Understanding today’s vocabulary, and the concept of a commute can help you when planning your own commutes or understanding local transportation systems. Let’s jump right in!

5 TERMS

  1. Congestion (Noun): The state of being overcrowded or blocked, especially with traffic.

  2. Carpool (Verb / Noun): (verb) To share a car ride with others; (noun) a shared ride in a car with others.

  3. Detour (Noun / Verb): (noun) A route that is different from the usual one due to an obstruction or problem; (verb) to take a different route.

  4. Toll (Noun): A fee paid for using certain roads, bridges, or tunnels.

  5. Bumper-to-bumper (Adjective): A description of traffic that is so slow and dense that vehicles are almost touching each other.

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

  1. Congestion

    • The traffic congestion made me late for work again.

    • Morning congestion on the highway is unavoidable during rush hour.

    • The city implemented new traffic measures to reduce congestion in the downtown area.

  2. Carpool

    • I carpool with my coworker to avoid the heavy traffic.

    • Our office encourages employees to carpool to reduce pollution.

    • There are three people in our carpool this week due to fewer cars on the road.

  3. Detour 

    • The road was closed, so we had to take a detour through the side streets.

    • Due to construction, a detour sign was placed on the main highway.

    • The GPS suggested a detour to avoid the traffic jam on the main road.

  4. Toll

    • The toll on the expressway increased last year to fund road repairs.

    • Drivers must pay a toll if they want to use the tunnel.

    • I usually avoid toll roads because the fees add up quickly.

  5. Bumper-to-bumper

    • The entire highway was bumper-to-bumper after the accident.

    • We sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic for nearly 30 minutes this morning.

    • Bumper-to-bumper conditions are typical on Monday mornings.

EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH

The morning commute can be a challenging experience for many people. Traffic congestion is often at its worst during this time, with cars bumper to bumper on the roads. This can lead to significant delays, especially if there are unexpected events like accidents or road closures requiring detours. To mitigate the impact of traffic, some commuters opt for alternative transportation such as public transit or carpooling. However, even with these strategies, the morning commute can still be a stressful and time-consuming part of the day, especially for those who have to pay tolls to use certain roads.

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