Prepositions of Movement in English

7ESL

Prepositions of Movement provide information on the relationship between two words within a sentence, specifically regarding the movement of something. For example, ‘the car drove along the street’. This helps to understand the direction or path of the movement.

You will find sections on what prepositions of movement are, a list of these prepositions with examples, and an image illustrating them.

Prepositions of Movement

Prepositions of movement or direction are used to show movement from one place to another. These prepositions are most often used with verbs of motion and are found after the verb.

Examples of prepositions of movement:

She turned her back to the audience.
He looked straight into her eyes.
She pushed her face towards him.
They rode along narrow country lanes.
Her hair whipped around her face in the wind.

Prepositions of Movement List with Examples

TO

The preposition to is used to indicate a destination or direction.

The boys go to school in groups.
Many people travel to work by car.
He got out of bed and walked to the window.
Would you like to run to the harbor to look at the ships?
We’re driving to Maryland to look at a drop tank?
He came to England in his infancy.

The preposition to is sometimes used to show a specific position, especially if a person or object is facing something.

The physics lab is down the hall to your right.
She turned her back to the audience.

TOWARD(S)

The preposition towards is used to say that someone or something moves, looks, or faces in the direction of someone or something.

She pushed her face towards him.
She was carrying a suitcase and walking towards.

THROUGH

The preposition through is used for movement from one side to another but “in something”, such as long grass or a forest.

David walked slowly through the woods.
The Charles River flows through Boston.

INTO

The preposition into is used to describe movement that enters a space, usually with a verb that expresses movement.

Don’t put new wine into old bottles.
He looked straight into her eyes.
She swerved and crashed into the fence.

OVER

The preposition over refers to movement at a higher level than something else. It can also be used when talking about movement across a surface.

Over also works as a preposition expressing position and often has a meaning similar to above.

ACROSS

The preposition across is used when talking about movement from one side of something to the other with sides or limits such as a city, road, or river. It is also used when something touches or stretches from one side to another.

The boys swam across the lake.
The truck skidded sideways across the road.
It’s the first time I’ve flown across the Atlantic.

ALONG

The preposition along shows the movement of something in a line that follows the side of something long.

We went for a walk along the beach at twilight.
They rode along narrow country lanes.

FROM

The preposition from is used to show the place where someone or something starts.

What time does the flight from Amsterdam arrive?

AROUND

The preposition around refers to movement in circles or in the vicinity of something.

Her hair whipped around her face in the wind.

ONTO

The preposition onto is used to talk about movement to a position on a surface, usually with a verb that expresses movement.

UP

The preposition up refers to a higher position or movement to a higher position.

She doesn’t like riding her bike up these hills.

DOWN

The preposition down indicates movement to a lower position.

It’s easier to run down the hill than go up.

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