Everyday English · Riding the school bus: waiting at the bus stop, getting on, sitting safely, and what happens when the bus is late or cancelled.
Riding the School Bus: 14 Everyday English Words
Learn everyday school bus words such as bus stop, driver, board, aisle, route and cancelled, and talk about the morning ride to school in simple English.
What to do
Many students in Ontario ride a yellow school bus. In the morning, you walk to the bus stop and line up with the other students. You wait on the sidewalk, away from the road, until the bus stops.
When the bus arrives, its red flashing lights come on and the driver puts out a stop sign. Other cars must stop. Then you board the bus, take a seat and keep your backpack out of the aisle.
Sometimes the bus is late, or it is cancelled because of snow or ice. The school then sends a message so families know. The bus follows the same route each day, so you can learn when it will come.
You do not need to memorise every word today. Listen for them the next time you wait for a bus, and you will meet them again in other lessons.
Core everyday words
bus stop
noun phrase · BUS stopa place where a bus stops so people can get on or off
Example: We wait at the bus stop at 8:00.
school bus
noun phrase · SKOOL busa yellow bus that takes students to and from school
Example: The school bus comes down our street.
driver
noun · DRY-vurthe person who steers and controls the bus
Example: The driver says good morning to everyone.
line up
verb phrase · LYNE upto stand one behind another and wait your turn
Example: Please line up at the bus stop.
board
verb · bordto get on a bus, train or plane
Example: Students board the bus one at a time.
seat
noun · seetsomething you sit on; a place to sit
Example: I found a seat near the window.
aisle
noun · ILEthe narrow walkway between the seats
Example: Keep your bag out of the aisle.
backpack
noun · BAK-paka bag you carry on your back
Example: She put her backpack on her lap.
route
noun · rootthe path a bus follows each day
Example: This bus route goes past the library.
flashing lights
noun phrase · FLASH-ing lytslights that turn on and off to warn other drivers
Example: The red flashing lights mean the bus is stopping.
stop sign
noun phrase · STOP synea red sign that tells drivers to stop
Example: The bus driver puts out the stop sign.
late
adjective · laytafter the time you were supposed to arrive
Example: The bus was late this morning.
cancelled
adjective · KAN-suldcalled off; not happening
Example: The bus is cancelled because of the snowstorm.
wait
verb · waytto stay in one place until something happens
Example: We wait for the bus together.
Recognise the word
Recognise the word
Choose the meaning of the word.
1. What is a bus stop?
- a button on the bus
- a place where a bus stops so people can get on or off
- the person who drives
- a ticket for the bus
2. What is the aisle on a bus?
- the narrow walkway between the seats
- the window next to your seat
- the door at the front
- the bag you carry
3. What does “board” mean here?
- to talk loudly
- to wait far from the road
- to get off the bus
- to get on the bus
4. What is a bus route?
- a seat near the driver
- the path the bus follows each day
- a time on a clock
- a rule about talking
5. What does “cancelled” mean?
- very fast
- full of students
- called off; not happening
- too warm
6. What do flashing lights on a school bus tell other drivers?
- The bus is stopping, so they must stop too.
- The bus is very clean.
- The bus is going to the garage.
- The bus has a new driver.
Use the word in a situation
Use the word in a situation
Pick the word that fits the sentence.
7. “Please ___ at the bus stop and wait your turn.”
- line up
- stay seated
- look out
- turn off
8. “I put my ___ on my lap so it is not in the aisle.”
- route
- driver
- backpack
- stop sign
9. “Snow is falling, so the bus is ___ today.”
- cancelled
- seat
- aisle
- board
10. “The ___ said good morning as we got on.”
- backpack
- driver
- flashing lights
- route
11. “I was ___ for school because I missed the bus.”
- late
- cancelled
- seated
- quiet
Quick-check answers
- 1. a place where a bus stops so people can get on or off
A bus stop is a place along the road. The driver is a person, and a button or ticket are not places. - 2. the narrow walkway between the seats
The aisle is the path you walk along. Windows, doors and bags are other things on a bus. - 3. to get on the bus
To board a bus is to climb on. Getting off is the opposite. - 4. the path the bus follows each day
A route is the streets a bus travels. A seat, a time and a rule are not paths. - 5. called off; not happening
If a bus is cancelled, it does not come at all. It is not about speed, students or warmth. - 6. The bus is stopping, so they must stop too.
Red flashing lights are a warning to stop. The other choices are not what the lights mean. - 7. line up
You line up to wait your turn. The other phrases do not fit waiting at a stop. - 8. backpack
You carry a backpack and can hold it on your lap. A route, a driver and a sign cannot sit on a lap. - 9. cancelled
Bad weather can mean the bus does not come. The other words are things, not a state of the bus. - 10. driver
The driver is the person who greets you. A backpack, lights and a route cannot speak. - 11. late
If you miss the bus you arrive after the time. Late is the best fit for being behind time.