HOW TO USE THE PREPOSITIONS
OF MOVEMENT
Definition: Prepositions of movement show movement
from one place to another place. These prepositions always describe
movement and we usually use them with verbs of motion. The most
common preposition of movement is the preposition to, which describes
movement in the direction of something.
For example:
How do you go to work?
He drove to London in five hours.
Nobody came to the party.
Note: Prepositions of movement are also
called prepositions of direction.
PREPOSITIONS OF
MOVEMENT LIST
Here is a list of the most common prepositions of movement,
with example sentences for each one:
1: Across: movement from one side to the other side of
something
It took us three days to drive across the desert.
The dog ran across the road and nearly got hit by a car.
2: Around: movement passing something in a curved
route, not going through it
A big dog was sleeping on the floor so she had to walk around
it.
They walked around the town for an hour.
3: Away from: indicating the point where a movement
begins
The mouse ran away from the cat and escaped.
4: Down: movement from a higher point to a lower point
of something
They ran down the hill to the stream below.
He climbed down the ladder to the bottom of the well.
5: From: indicating the point where a movement begins
We flew from Bangkok to London.
The police took my driving licence from me.
6: Into: movement to an enclosed space; movement
resulting in physical contact
He got into the car and closed the door.
The car crashed into the wall.
7: Off: movement away from (and often down from)
something
Please take your papers off my desk.
The wineglass fell off the table and shattered on the floor.
8: On to, Onto: movement to the top surface of
something
They went up on to the stage.
Move the kettle onto the counter.
9: Out of: indicating the enclosed space where a
movement begins
Take your hands out of your pockets and help me!
He went out of the room to smoke a cigarette.
10: Over: movement above and across the top or top
surface of something
We are flying over the mountains.
The cat jumped over the wall.
11: Past: movement from one side to the other side of
something
We could see children in the playground as we drove past the
school.
We gave the marathoners water as they ran past us.
12: To: movement in the direction of something
Could you give this to Kob please?
Does this train go to London?
13: Through: movement in one side and out of the other
side of something
The train goes through a tunnel under the hill.
Hey! You just went thru a red light!
14: Towards / Toward (mostly AmE): movement
in the direction of something
The night sky got brighter as they drove toward the
city.
At last she could recognize the person coming towards her.
15: Under: movement directly below something
The mouse ran under the chair.
Submarines can travel under water.
16: Up: movement from a lower point to a higher point
of something
Jack and Jill ran up the hill.
The boat takes two hours going up the river and one hour
coming down.
EXAMPLE SENTENCES WITH
PREPOSITIONS OF MOVEMENT
Here are some more example sentences showing prepositions of
movement in context:
James Bond came into the room and took his
gun out of his pocket.
He walked around the table and moved toward the
window.
They saw someone running away from the
school, past a car and towards the road.
They went up on to the roof.
He jumped off the platform and ran over the
rails just before the train arrived.
The prisoners squeezed through the window,
ran across the grass and escaped under the fence.
Jack and Jill walked up the hill. Pretty soon they
were tumbling down the hill.
Did you walk here from home?
They didn't go to school yesterday.
EXERCISES ON THE
PREPOSITION OF MOVEMENT
1. Prepositions of movement are usually used with verbs of
motion. Which is a verb of motion?
to be
to go
to do
to go
to do
2. Choose the correct preposition: The Earth goes _______ the
sun once a year.
across
past
around
past
around
3. My dog was lying on the sofa, so I yelled, "Get
______ !"
out of
from
off
from
off
4. Which is NOT correct? "The bridge went ______ the
river."
on
over
across
over
across
5. Which is correct? "How far is it _______ the station
from here?"
from
to
away from
to
away from
6. A brave teacher ran _______ the gunman and stopped him
from shooting more students.
up
towards
away from
towards
away from
7. To score in soccer, you must get the ball _______ the
goalkeeper and into the net.
through
across
past
across
past
8. We usually feel the most exhausted after running _______ a
steep hill.
up
down
around
down
around
9. Which are the correct prepositions? Donald fell _______
the boat and _______ the water.
down, in
off, into
out of, onto
off, into
out of, onto
10. The prisoners escaped _______ a tunnel they'd dug _______
the prison wall.
under,
through
out of, over
through, under
Click here to get full lesson explanation and to do the exercises
out of, over
through, under
Click here to get full lesson explanation and to do the exercises
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