Talking about accidents in English
Accidents happen all the time, whether it’s a small bump, a fall, or something more serious. Knowing how to talk about an accident in English can be very useful, especially if you are in a new country or speaking with people who don’t speak your first language. Let’s look at some simple ways to talk about an accident in English.
Describe what happened
When talking about accidents in English, the first thing you should do is describe the accident. You can start by saying:
If you want to give more details, you can say:
Basic types of accidents
fender bender
a „small” car accident, where no one was hurt and there isn’t much damage
collision
when two cars crash into each other
slip and fall
when you lose your balance and fall down
trip
when you hit something with your foot and fall down
burn
an injury from fire, heat, or chemicals
cut
a wound caused by something sharp like a knife
sprain
an injury to a ligament, often in the ankle or wrist
fracture
a break or crack in a bone
Talking about injuries
If you or someone else got hurt in an accident, describing the injuries is important. Here are some ways to do that in English.
You can also use these phrases:
Asking for help
If you are in an accident or see someone in one, you might need to ask for help. Here are some phrases you can use in English.
Talking about what happened after the accident
You might want to explain what happened next – after the accident. Here are some examples of what to say in English.
Saying how you feel
Finally, when talking about accidents, it’s okay to talk about how you feel.
Memorize these phrases to know what to say when talking about accidents in English.
