FluencyLab
GrammarHub
Describe paths and directions with prepositions such as into, out of, across, through, along, over and past.
Overview
Describe paths and directions with prepositions such as into, out of, across, through, along, over and past.
Form and rules
Use into for movement from outside to inside and out of for the reverse.
Use across for movement from one side to another over a surface or area.
Use through for movement inside and from one side to another of an enclosed or three-dimensional space.
Use along for movement following a line such as a road or river.
Use over for movement above/across something and past for movement beyond a point.
A closer look
Use along for movement following a line such as a road or river.
Use over for movement above/across something and past for movement beyond a point.
Examples
She walked into the room.
We ran across the road.
The train went through a tunnel.
They cycled along the river.
Walk past the bank and turn left.
Common mistakes
Through describes movement via an opening or inside a space from one side to another.
Across describes movement from one side to the other.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.