We learned some prepositions of place in English; now let’s learn prepositions of movement!
across / through
Across is movement from one side of an area, surface, or line to the other side.
![prepositions-across Prepositions - Across](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/prepositions-across-300x157.jpg)
Through is movement from one side of an enclosed space to the other side.
![prepositions-across-through Prepositions - Across and through](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/prepositions-across-through.jpg)
Sometimes, either ACROSS or THROUGH can be used for areas:
- We walked across the park.
= We walked through the park. - They drove across the city.
= They drove through the city.
along / around
Along is to follow a line.
Around is to go in a circular direction around some obstacle.
![around-along Prepositions of Movement in English: Around and Along](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/around-along.jpg)
into / out of
Into is to go from outside a space to inside a space.
Out of is to go from inside a space to outside a space.
![prepositions-in-english-into Prepositions of Movement in English - Into](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/prepositions-in-english-into.jpg)
![prepositions-in-english-out-of Prepositions of Movement in English - Out of](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/prepositions-in-english-out-of.jpg)
onto / off
Onto and off refer to surfaces, differently from into / out of (which refer to enclosed spaces):
- The dog jumped onto the table.
The dog jumped into the table. - I took the picture off the wall.
I took the picture out of the wall.
up / down
![prepositions-in-english-up-down Prepositions in English Up Down](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/prepositions-in-english-up-down.jpg)
Go up and go down can also be used for “increase” and “decrease,” in addition to physical movement.
- The price of food has gone up in the past two years.
- The number of children per family has gone down.
over / under
To go over is to pass above something.
To go under is to pass below something.
![prepositions-in-english-over-under Prepositions in English - Over and Under](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/prepositions-in-english-over-under.jpg)
towards / away from
If you go towards something, you get closer to it.
If you go away from something, you get farther away from it.
![prepositions-in-english-run-towards Prepositions of Movement in English - Towards](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/prepositions-in-english-run-towards-300x199.jpg)
![prepositions-in-english-run-away Prepositions of Movement in English - Away from](https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/prepositions-in-english-run-away-300x211.jpg)
back to
“Back to” is movement of return to a place you have been before:
- He went to Italy.
(maybe for the first time) - He went back to Italy.
(it is the second time, or he is from Italy) - He went back Italy.
(this form is incorrect)