English Phrasal Verb: To Pull Over

To stop a vehicle in the road

Example Sentences for the English Phrasal Verb Pull Over

  1. The police were pulling lots of drivers over this morning. They must be looking for someone.
  2. The man pulled me over to let me know I had left my purse on the roof of the car.
  3. If you ever get pulled over, make sure you stay in the car.
  4. If the police hadn’t have pulled him over, he could have caused a serious accident.
  5. Pull over! That woman needs help changing her tire.

The English phrasal verb, to pull over, can be transitive or intransitive.

English Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs can be extremely tricky for learners of English. The reason for this is twofold: there are lots of them and their meaning is not always obvious from the words that make them up. To make things even more difficult, phrasal verbs can have multiple meanings, adding to the headache for learners.

A phrasal verb is made up of a main verb with an attached preposition or adverb. An example of a phrasal verb is run into. Where run is the main verb and into is the preposition. Phrasal verbs can be separated into two groups, intransitive and transitive verbs. Intransitive phrasal verbs do not have a direct object: go out, for example, "I want to go out tonight". Transitive phrasal verbs have a direct object and they can be split up into two further categories: separable and inseparable. With separable transitive phrasal verbs, the verb and the preposition can be split up. For example, both “turn off the radio” and “turn the radio off” are both correct. Inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be split up. For example, “I’ll look after you” is correct, but “I’ll look you after” is not.

Using Storyboard That you can prepare a visual dictionary of phrasal verbs quickly and easily. Even better than that, have your students create their own phrasal verb visual definitions.

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Frequently Asked Questions about English Phrasal Verb: To Pull Over

What does 'pull over' mean?

Pull over means to move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop, usually for safety reasons or when directed by law enforcement.

When should you pull over while driving?

You should pull over if a police officer signals you, if there is an emergency vehicle behind you, or if your car has a problem and it isn’t safe to continue driving.

How do you safely pull over to the side of the road?

To safely pull over, check your mirrors, signal, slow down, and steer your vehicle smoothly to the side of the road before stopping completely.

Why is it important to pull over for emergency vehicles?

It is important to pull over so emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks can pass quickly to help people in need.

What is the difference between 'pull over' and 'stop'?

Pull over means moving your car to the side of the road before stopping, while stop means bringing your vehicle to a halt, usually in your current lane or at a stop sign or signal.