Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks:
On hearing the siren, I pulled __________ and stopped the car.
Topic: Phrasal verbs
Try it
Pick an option and check your answer. The full worked answer is below either way.
Answer
(d) over.
PULL OVER is the fixed phrasal verb meaning, of a vehicle, to move to the side of the road and stop. It is exactly what a driver does on hearing a siren.
Option (b) "pulled up" is the near-miss and does mean to stop a vehicle — but it does not carry the sense of moving ASIDE to let something pass, which the siren requires. The context decides between two otherwise correct-sounding options.
The "pull" family is large and worth learning: pull over — move to the roadside and stop pull up — come to a halt pull through — recover from illness pull off — succeed at something difficult pull down — demolish
over.