Commuting · Getting around
come to a standstill
stop completely
Traffic comes to a standstill when it stops moving completely.
This vs that
The traffic came to a standstill.
The traffic was slow but still moving.
Hear it in real life
Why aren't we moving?
There's been an accident ahead, and the traffic has come to a standstill.
The traffic came to a standstill after a lorry broke down.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
This is the normal phrase for traffic stopping completely; the stiff version sounds like a technical report.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: The traffic arrived to a standstill.
Say: The traffic came to a standstill.
The fixed collocation is 'come to a standstill', not 'arrive to'.
Build it
How it fits in a sentence.
traffic come to a standstill; bring traffic to a standstill
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about commuting.
on my way to work
I usually listen to podcasts on my way to work.
the train was packed
The train was packed, so I had to stand.
Commuting words
Getting around · Commuting: the words around “come to a standstill”.
More connectionsMore commuting words7
Your turn: say it out loud
The traffic came to a standstill.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
come to a standstill
stop completely
“The traffic came to a standstill after a lorry broke down.”
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