Why We Park in a Driveway and Drive on a Parkway
In short: A driveway was first the private road you drove up to a house, and a parkway was a road built through park-like land. The names stayed even as people’s habits changed.
English can be full of strange contradictions. For example, why do we park in a driveway but drive on a parkway? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Here’s the deal: originally, a "driveway" was a private road leading to a house—where people would drive up. Over time, people started parking there. "Parkways," on the other hand, were meant to be beautiful, landscaped roads—meant for driving, not parking. Language changed, but the names stuck. Just one of many English quirks!
How to use it
In the U.S., a driveway is the short private area between the street and a house or garage, where people usually park. A parkway is a wide road, often with trees or grass along it, and in some areas it’s a kind of highway. Both are everyday American English words.
Examples
- You can park in the driveway when you come over.
- Take the parkway north and get off at the next exit.
- Someone blocked our driveway, so I couldn’t get the car out.
A common mistake
Don’t call a public street a driveway. It’s only the private part at a house. And use the right prepositions: park in the driveway, but drive on the parkway.
Say it out loud
Tabbi Daily gives you one short lesson like this every day. Listen, record yourself and hear how you sound. Free, no account needed.
Source: Knox TN Today