Prepositions of Movement

Prepositions of movement are prepositions that we use to express movement.

The most important of them are:

1. to

2. through

3. along

4. over

5. across

6. into

7. off

Let's have a closer look at each of them.

1. We use to when talking about movement to a specific destination.

Examples:

  • I drove straight to the office.
  • He took me to the Zoo.

2. We use through when talking about movement from one side of a given space to the other.

Examples:

  • The bullet went through the wooden door.
  • We chose the shorter and more dangerous track through the swamps.

3. We use along when talking about movement from one end of a given oblong surface to the other.

Examples:

  • We rode along the road until we found another hotel.
     

4. We use over when talking about movement above a given space.

Examples:

  • The airplane flew over the mountains.
  • Albert jumped over the paddle.

 5. We use across when talking about movement from one side of a surface to another.

Examples:

  • He went across the meadow.
  • The path lead across the woods.

6. We use into when talking about an inward movement—such that is directed inside.

Examples:

  • He knife went deep into his body.
  • Before I delve into the fascinating details of this phenomenon, let me...

7. We use off when talking about movement directed away from a given surface.

Examples:

  • He brushed off the dust on the books.
  • All the books  fell off the shelf.