Prepositions of Movement
Into, through, across — where things go. Learn the rules, then practise.
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Movement vs position
English uses different prepositions for where something is (position) and where it is going (movement).
| Position | Movement to | Movement away |
|---|---|---|
| in the box | into the box | out of the box |
| on the table | onto the table | off the table |
| at the door | to the door | from the door |
✅ The cat is in the box. (position)
✅ The cat jumped into the box. (movement)
✅ She climbed onto the roof. (movement to a surface)
✅ He took the cup off the shelf. (movement from a surface)
Watch out: with verbs of motion (walk, run, jump, fall), use into / onto / out of / off rather than in / on / from.
Across, through, over, under
| across | from one side to the other of a flat surface (road, field, bridge) |
| through | inside a three-dimensional enclosed space (tunnel, forest, crowd) |
| over | directly above, often spanning or jumping (the river, the wall) |
| under | beneath, often passing from one side to the other below an object |
✅ We walked across the bridge. (flat surface)
✅ The train goes through the tunnel. (enclosed space)
✅ The bird flew over our heads. (directly above)
✅ The dog crawled under the fence. (beneath)
Along, past, towards, away from
- along — following the length of something linear: along the river, along the corridor
- past — going beyond a point without stopping: walked past the school
- towards — in the direction of (not necessarily arriving): walking towards the door
- away from — in the opposite direction: ran away from the noise
Up, down, around
- up — to a higher position: climbed up the ladder
- down — to a lower position: walked down the stairs
- around — in a circular movement, or all sides of something: walked around the park
Common mistakes
| ❌ | ✅ |
|---|---|
| I came in the room. | I came into the room. |
| She walked across the tunnel. | She walked through the tunnel. |
| He arrived to the airport. | He arrived at the airport. |
| Take the cup of the shelf. | Take the cup off the shelf. |
| The runner ran at me. | The runner ran towards me. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'in' and 'into'?
'In' describes static position — where something is. 'Into' describes movement — going from outside to inside. 'The cat is in the box' (position) vs. 'The cat jumped into the box' (movement). Verbs of motion like walk, run, jump, fall typically take 'into' rather than 'in'.
When do you use 'across' vs 'through'?
'Across' is for moving from one side to the other of a flat or two-dimensional surface — across the road, across the bridge, across the field. 'Through' is for moving inside a three-dimensional enclosed space from one end to the other — through the tunnel, through the forest, through the crowd.
What is the difference between 'to' and 'towards'?
'To' indicates the destination — you reach it. 'Towards' indicates the direction of movement, without necessarily arriving. 'She walked to the door' (and reached it) vs. 'She was walking towards the door' (in that direction, may not have reached it yet).
Why do we say 'jump onto' but 'sit on'?
Verbs of motion that involve movement to a surface — jump, climb, get, step — use 'onto' to emphasize the movement. Static verbs like 'sit', 'lie', 'be' use 'on' for the position once you're there. 'He jumped onto the bed' (movement) vs. 'He is sitting on the bed' (position).