TOEFL transportation vocabulary
61 words in this theme, levelled so you can tell what is worth your time at your band.
TOEFL transportation vocabulary covers movement and its infrastructure — *anchor*, *cart*, *cruise*, *dock*. It appears in two quite different places: practical Daily Life texts about getting somewhere, and history passages about how goods and people once moved.
Why this theme earns your time
The theme is largely B1 and concrete, which makes it quick — but several words carry a second, older sense that history passages rely on. *Dock* and *anchor* mean one thing in a schedule and another in an account of trade.
What the words look like
Every entry carries its part of speech, pronunciation, CEFR level, the collocations it actually appears in, and a sentence using it. A sample from the bank:
| Word | CEFR | Meaning | In use |
|---|---|---|---|
| anchorn./v. /ˈæŋkər/ | B2 | a heavy device that stops a ship moving; to fix firmlydrop anchor · a news anchor | The tent is anchored with steel pegs. |
| cartn./v. /kɑːrt/ | B2 | a small vehicle pushed or pulleda shopping cart · put the cart before the horse | A cart carries the samples between buildings. |
| cruisev./n. /kruːz/ | B1 | to travel at a steady speed; a holiday by shipa cruise ship · cruising speed | The ferry cruises at eighteen knots. |
| dockn./v. /dɑːk/ | B2 | a place where ships load; to bring a ship ina dry dock · dock at | The ferry docks on the far side of the bay. |
| haltv./n. /hɔːlt/ | B2 | to stop; a stopcome to a halt · grind to a halt | Signal failures halted trains for an hour. |
| licensen. /ˈlaɪsns/ | B1 | an official document that allows you to do something, such as drive a cardriver's license · get a license | Maria finally got her driver's license, so she can drive to the supermarket now. |
| obstructv. /əbˈstrʌkt/ | C2 | to block a path or prevent progressobstruct the view · obstruct justice | Parked vans obstruct the fire lane daily. |
| railn. /reɪl/ | B2 | a bar for holding; a track for trainsa hand rail · by rail | Hold the rail on the wet steps. |
| rushv./n. /rʌʃ/ | B1 | to move or act quickly; a busy periodrush hour · in a rush | Do not rush the final paragraph. |
| stallv./n. /stɔːl/ | C1 | to stop working; to delay; a market boothstall for time · a market stall | The engine stalled twice on the hill. |
| trackn./v. /træk/ | B1 | a rail line; a rough path; to followkeep track of · off track | Rangers track the herd by satellite collar. |
| tripn./v. /trɪp/ | B1 | a journey; to catch your foot and falla day trip · trip over | The field trip runs from Friday to Sunday. |
What to learn at your level
Most of this theme sits at CEFR B1 (43% of its words). At band 4 the B1 and B2 entries are the ones that move your score; grinding C1 vocabulary before the B2 layer is solid is the most common way to spend weeks and gain nothing.
| Level | Words | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | 1 | 2% |
| B1 | 26 | 43% |
| B2 | 17 | 28% |
| C1 | 11 | 18% |
| C2 | 6 | 10% |
Recognising a word is not knowing it
Complete the Words asks you to *produce* a word from context with only its opening letters shown, and the writing tasks ask you to produce it from nothing. That is why the PrepScore drill makes you write the word rather than flip a card, and counts it mastered only after two correct productions in a row. See how the vocabulary drill works.
Drill this theme free
Twenty words a day at no cost, tested by production rather than recognition.
Frequently asked questions
Where does transportation vocabulary appear on the TOEFL?
In practical Reading texts — schedules, notices, announcements — and in history passages about trade and settlement.
Is this theme high priority?
Low, on volume. But it is small enough that clearing it costs little.
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By PrepScore · Last reviewed · Editorial standards