Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[someday]

I wanted to say something meaning
I am locked out of my car with the car still running?'
What I mean here is

I locked the car door accidentaly and the key is stiil in the place where you start the engine, and the engin is still on.

I feel very akward using this kind of expression "locked out of .."
Do I have to use "am" or "have got" or "got"?
They seem to use that for many other cases as well such as if you live in apartment and you locked the door with the key inside, you might say 'I' m ( got, or have got) locked out of the door. Can I get an emergency key."

Could somebody explain this more with other common examples?
Thanks in advance.

[Harmony]

Hi Someday,

You could say, "I've locked the keys in my car with the motor running."

It's very natural to say, "locked myself out", but you shouldn't say, "locked myself out of the door". You go in through a door; you don't go inside the door itself, so it makes more sense to say, "I locked myself out of my apartment."

Here are a few more examples for you:

I locked my keys in my apartment.

As soon as I shut the door I realized I'd just locked my keys inside the apartment.

I somehow managed to lock myself out of my car with the key in the ignition and the motor running.

I hope this is helpful.

~ ~ ~ Harmony

[LucentShade]

It's fine to use "be" with the expression "locked out of," as in

She was locked out of her house.

I'm locked out of my car.