Prepositions of Movement Exercises
Do more with this exercise
Words that show movement
A preposition of movement shows where someone or something goes. Ask: what path does it take?
- Into and out of:
- Go into a place to enter it. Go out of it to leave it.
- Across and through:
- Across highlights movement from one side to another. Through highlights the path within or among something, like a tunnel or a park.
- Along, up and down:
- Go along a street to follow it. Go up to a higher place and down to a lower place.
- Past and towards:
- Go past a place to move beyond it. Go towards a place to get closer to it.
- Over:
- Go over something to move above it and reach the other side.
Examples
She walked into the shop.
She entered the shop.
He came out of the house.
He left the house.
We walked across the square.
We went from one side of the open square to the other.
The train went through the tunnel.
The train travelled inside the tunnel.
Walk along this street, then go past the bank.
Follow the street and continue beyond the bank.
The cat jumped over the wall.
The cat crossed above the wall.
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Choose the path
Choose the word that describes the movement.
1.The girl opened the door and walked ___ the room.
2.The boy left the room and went ___ the house.
3.We crossed the open square from one side to the other. We walked ___ it.
4.The train entered one end of the tunnel and left at the other end. It went ___ the tunnel.
5.Follow the river to the bridge. Walk ___ it.
6.The stairs lead to the second floor. Let's go ___ them.
7.The stairs lead from the second floor to the ground floor. Go ___ them.
8.Keep walking. Go ___ the bank and stop at the school after it.
9.The dog is getting closer to me. It is running ___ me.
10.The ball flew above the wall and went to the other side. It went ___ the wall.
Complete the directions
Type the missing word or words.
Put the directions in order
Click the parts in the correct order.
21. Build the sentence:
22. Build the sentence:
23. Build the sentence:
24. Build the sentence:
True or false?
Decide if each statement is true.
25.If you walk into a room, you enter it.
26.If you walk through a tunnel, you travel above it.
27.If you walk towards a shop, you get closer to it.
28.If you walk past a shop, you must go inside it.
How to describe a path in English
Use into when someone enters a place and out of when they leave it. She walked into the shop. Later, she came out of it. These words describe movement, while in and outside can simply tell us where she is.
Across highlights getting from one side to another, as when you walk across a square. Through highlights a path within or among something, as when a train goes through a tunnel. You can also walk across a room or through a park. Along means following a street or a river.
Up and down show movement to a higher or lower place. Past means continuing beyond a place. Towards shows the direction, but does not tell us if you arrive. Over shows a path above something to the other side. Read the whole sentence to find the path.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between into and in?
Into shows movement from outside to inside. In usually tells us where something is.
What is the difference between across and through?
Across highlights getting from one side to another. Through highlights a path within or among something. You can walk across a room or through a park.
Does towards mean that I reach the place?
No. Towards shows a direction or that you get closer. It does not say that you arrive.
Answer key
1. The girl opened the door and walked ___ the room.
Answer: into
She entered the room, so she walked into it.
2. The boy left the room and went ___ the house.
Answer: out of
He left the house, so he went out of it.
3. We crossed the open square from one side to the other. We walked ___ it.
Answer: across
Across highlights movement from one side to the other.
4. The train entered one end of the tunnel and left at the other end. It went ___ the tunnel.
Answer: through
Through describes movement inside the tunnel from end to end.
5. Follow the river to the bridge. Walk ___ it.
Answer: along
Along means following the river's path.
6. The stairs lead to the second floor. Let's go ___ them.
Answer: up
Up means towards a higher place.
7. The stairs lead from the second floor to the ground floor. Go ___ them.
Answer: down
Down means towards a lower place.
8. Keep walking. Go ___ the bank and stop at the school after it.
Answer: past
Past means going beyond the bank without stopping there.
9. The dog is getting closer to me. It is running ___ me.
Answer: towards
Towards shows the direction: the dog is getting closer.
10. The ball flew above the wall and went to the other side. It went ___ the wall.
Answer: over
Over describes a path above the wall to the other side.
11. Open the door and go ___ the classroom. (one word)
Answer: into
Into means entering the classroom.
12. She left the shop and came ___ it. (two words)
Answer: out of
Out of means leaving the shop.
13. Cross the road from one side to the other. Walk ___ it. (one word)
Answer: across
Across marks movement from one side to the other.
14. The car entered the tunnel and drove ___ it. (one word)
Answer: through
Through marks a path inside the tunnel.
15. Follow this street. Walk ___ it to the end. (one word)
Answer: along
Along means following the street.
16. The hill is high. Let's walk ___ it to the top. (one word)
Answer: up
Up means towards the top.
17. We are at the top of the hill. Let's walk ___ it to the bottom. (one word)
Answer: down
Down means towards the bottom.
18. Do not stop at the bank. Walk ___ it and stop at the school. (one word)
Answer: past
Past means going beyond the bank.
19. The bus is coming closer to us. It is driving ___ us. (one word)
Answer: towards
Towards shows the direction of the bus.
20. The bird flew above the wall and reached the other side. It flew ___ the wall. (one word)
Answer: over
Over shows a path above the wall to the other side.
21. into the shop. / walked / She
Answer: She walked into the shop.
Into shows that she entered the shop.
22. the bridge. / We walked / across
Answer: We walked across the bridge.
Across takes us from one side of the bridge to the other.
23. the bank. / Walk / past
Answer: Walk past the bank.
Past means continue beyond the bank.
24. over the wall. / jumped / The cat
Answer: The cat jumped over the wall.
Over shows a path above the wall.
25. If you walk into a room, you enter it.
Answer: True
Into marks movement from outside to inside.
26. If you walk through a tunnel, you travel above it.
Answer: False
Through means travelling inside the tunnel.
27. If you walk towards a shop, you get closer to it.
Answer: True
Towards points in the direction of the shop.
28. If you walk past a shop, you must go inside it.
Answer: False
Past means going beyond the shop; you do not need to enter it.