pull up — to stop a vehicle
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to bring a car or other vehicle to a stop, usually by the side of the road.
Say it like a native
Textbook The taxi came to a halt directly outside the residence.
Native The taxi pulled up right outside.
'Pull up' is the everyday verb for a vehicle stopping; 'came to a halt' is formal.
Pattern: pull up (in/at/by/to [place])
In use
- The taxi pulled up outside my house right on time.daily life
- During my trip, the bus pulled up at several small towns along the way, giving us a chance to explore.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ A car pulled up at front of the house.
✓ A car pulled up in front of the house.
It's 'in front of', not 'at front of'.
Common collocations
pull up + location— outside, in front of, at the kerb, next to us
Don't confuse it
'Pull over' is similar but often means to move to the side of the road and stop, especially for safety or instructions.