Through, Over, and Under — English Grammar Exercises
Into, onto, off, along, across and more — master movement prepositions
Through, Over, and Under: 3D Spaces and Obstacles
This group produces some of the most persistent preposition errors at B1–B2 level. Longman corpus research identifies 'across' incorrectly substituted for 'through' in enclosed-space contexts in approximately one-third of error instances involving these two prepositions. The root cause: learners apply the 'one side to the other' logic of 'across' to tunnels, forests, and caves — failing to activate the three-dimensionality test.
Through — Moving Inside a 3D Enclosed Space
Use through when you move inside a space that encloses you — entering at one end and exiting at the other:
The river flows through the city centre before reaching the sea.
The cat squeezed through the gap in the fence.
Over — Arcing Above an Obstacle
Use over when movement describes an arc above something, going up one side and down the other:
The children climbed over the tall wooden fence to get their ball back.
The plane flew over the mountains.
Under — Passing Beneath a Structure
The cat squeezed under the gate.
The Through/Across Decision Rule
Ask: Am I inside the space while moving? If yes, use through. A bridge is a flat surface you walk on top of → across. A tunnel encloses you inside → through. A forest surrounds you on all sides → through. An open field is flat → across.
Common Mistakes
✗ She swam across the underwater cave. → ✓ She swam through the underwater cave.
✗ The cat squeezed through the fence. → ✓ The cat squeezed through the gap in the fence. (you need an opening)
✗ The horse jumped through the hedge. → ✓ The horse jumped over the hedge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'in' and 'into'?
'In' describes where something already is (static location): 'She is in the kitchen.' 'Into' describes movement from outside a space to inside it: 'She walked into the kitchen.' The key test is whether the sentence describes arrival or presence. Common fixed collocations: get into a car/taxi, walk into a room, jump into a pool, step into an elevator.
What is the difference between 'on' and 'onto', and between 'from' and 'off'?
'On' is static — it describes where something already rests: 'The book is on the table.' 'Onto' describes movement from one level to a surface: 'The cat jumped onto the table.' For leaving a surface, English uses 'off', not 'from': 'The book fell off the table' (not 'from the table'). 'From' describes origin or starting point, not the act of leaving a surface.
When do I use 'through' and when 'across' or 'over'?
'Through' describes movement inside a three-dimensional enclosed space from one end to the other: 'through a tunnel', 'through a forest', 'through a gap'. 'Across' describes movement from one side to the other of a flat or open surface: 'across the road', 'across the bridge', 'across the pool'. 'Over' describes movement in an arc above an obstacle: 'over the fence', 'over the hedge', 'over the mountains'. The bridge test: you go across a bridge (surface) but through a tunnel (enclosed space).
What is the difference between 'to' and 'towards'?
'To' implies reaching the destination: 'She went to the station' (she arrived). 'Towards' describes movement in a direction without necessarily arriving: 'She walked towards the station but stopped halfway.' If the sentence has a contrast word like 'but stopped', 'but changed her mind', or 'but didn't arrive', use 'towards'. Also: 'past' means moving beyond a point without stopping — 'She walked past the shop without going in.'