In a manual transmission car, three pedals are typically found: the clutch, brake and accelerator.
The clutch pedal temporarily disconnects the engine from the gearbox, allowing the driver to select a different gear without grinding the meshing components. The brake pedal slows the car, while the accelerator controls engine output. In a conventional left-hand-drive layout, the clutch is on the left, the brake in the middle and the accelerator on the right.
The clutch is the feature that most clearly distinguishes a traditional manual car from an ordinary automatic. Drivers press it while changing gear and gradually release it to transfer engine power back to the wheels. This coordination is why learning a manual often involves mastering clutch engagement and avoiding a stall.
A common mix-up is counting the parking-brake lever or a foot-operated parking brake as another pedal. Those are separate controls and do not change the usual three-pedal arrangement. Some specialized or automated-manual vehicles omit the clutch pedal, but they are not the typical manual-transmission car described here.