Learn · Sentences Explaining an Emergency Situation

Someone’s car broke down in the middle of the road, and traffic is at a standstill.

B1

Sentence

Narrator

Someone’s car broke down in the middle of the road, and traffic is at a standstill.

Study notes

How to use in different contexts

Reporting News

A car breakdown has caused a traffic standstill on Main Street.

Describing a Scene

The scene was chaotic; a broken-down car had brought traffic to a complete halt.

Expressing Concern

I'm worried about the traffic; I heard someone's car broke down and it's causing a standstill.

Narrating an Event

Suddenly, a car sputtered to a stop, and within minutes, traffic was at a standstill.

Rephrased versions

Formal

A vehicular malfunction resulted in a complete cessation of traffic flow.

Casual

A car died on the road, and traffic's backed up big time.

Simpler English

A car broke down, and traffic stopped.

Phrases to learn

broke down

Stopped functioning .

at a standstill

Completely stopped; not moving.