A2 Grammar Prepositions

Prepositions of Movement

Prepositions of movement show direction — where something goes, not where it stays: She ran into the room and out of the door. They include to, into, onto, through, across, along, towards and past.

Prepositions of movement describe motion from one point to another. They differ from prepositions of place, which simply locate something. Compare The cat is in the box (place — no motion) with The cat jumped into the box (movement — it moved from outside to inside). Choosing the right movement preposition tells your listener exactly which path something took, so they are essential for giving directions, telling stories and describing journeys.

Most movement prepositions pair naturally with verbs of motion such as go, walk, run, drive, fly, swim and jump. Learning the core set below and the path each one traces will make your descriptions vivid and accurate.

The Core Movement Prepositions

Preposition Direction Example
totowards a destinationWe drove to London.
intofrom outside to insideHe walked into the shop.
out offrom inside to outsideShe ran out of the house.
ontoto a surfaceThe cat jumped onto the table.
offaway from a surfaceHe fell off the ladder.
throughin one side and out the otherWe walked through the tunnel.
acrossfrom one side to the otherShe swam across the river.
alongfollowing a lineWe strolled along the beach.
towardsin the direction ofHe walked towards the door.
pastfrom one side of and beyondI drove past the school.
round / aroundin a circle or curveThe earth moves around the sun.
up / downto a higher / lower pointWe climbed up the hill.

To vs Into vs Onto

These three trip up many learners because they are so close in meaning.

Place vs movement: in, on and at show position; into, onto and to show motion towards that position. If something is moving, reach for the movement form: The keys are in the drawer (place) but Put the keys into the drawer (movement).

Across vs Through

Use across for movement over a flat surface or open space: walk across the field. Use through when something or someone is surrounded on all sides, like a crowd, a forest or a tunnel: push through the crowd, drive through the tunnel. Across is two-dimensional; through is three-dimensional.

Get + Movement Prepositions

The verb get combines with movement prepositions in very common everyday phrases:

Common Mistakes

Practice Exercises

Grammar Quiz

Choose the right movement preposition for each path.

Cloze Dropdown

Pick into, onto or through to complete each line.

Complete the Sentence

Describe journeys using movement prepositions.

Matching Pairs

Match each preposition with the direction it shows.

Unjumble

Reorder words into directions and route descriptions.

Flash Cards

Drill to, into, onto, across and through.

Master English Prepositions

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Explore related grammar topics:

All Grammar Topics Prepositions Prepositions of Place Prepositions of Time Phrasal Verbs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are prepositions of movement?
Prepositions of movement show direction or motion from one place to another, such as to, into, onto, out of, through, across, along, towards and past. They answer the question "which way?" and usually follow verbs of motion like go, run and jump.
What is the difference between in and into?
In shows position with no motion (The keys are in the drawer), while into shows movement from outside to inside (She put the keys into the drawer). Use into whenever something is actually moving towards or entering a space.
When do you use to, into and onto?
Use to for movement towards a destination (go to school), into for movement to the inside of a space (walk into a room) and onto for movement to the top of a surface (jump onto the table). They all express motion, not position.
What is the difference between across and through?
Use across for movement over a flat, open surface (swim across the river) and through when you are surrounded on all sides, as in a crowd, forest or tunnel (walk through the woods). Across is two-dimensional; through is three-dimensional.
Why do we say go home and not go to home?
The word home behaves like an adverb after verbs of motion, so it takes no preposition: go home, come home, drive home. Adding to (go to home) is a common error. The same is true of here and there.
What is the difference between towards and to?
To implies reaching the destination (She walked to the station — she arrived). Towards shows direction without saying whether the point is reached (She walked towards the station — in that direction). Use towards for direction, to for arrival.
What does past mean as a movement preposition?
Past means moving from one side of something and continuing beyond it: I walked past the bakery. It describes going by something without stopping. Do not confuse it with the time word past (half past three).
Do we say get in or get into a car?
Both are used: get in the car and get into the car are equally natural. For buses, trains and planes, however, we say get on and get off, not get into: get on the bus, get off the train.
Is onto one word or two?
In modern English onto is normally written as one word when it shows movement to a surface: The cat jumped onto the bed. Two words (on to) are used only when on belongs to a phrasal verb: We moved on to the next topic.
Which verbs go with prepositions of movement?
Verbs of motion combine naturally with movement prepositions: go, come, walk, run, drive, fly, swim, jump, climb, crawl and move. For example, run across the road, fly to Paris, climb up the hill and swim through the waves.