What are prepositions of movement?
Prepositions of movement show direction or the path something takes. They tell us where someone or something is going, coming from, or moving through. These prepositions are important for describing actions and journeys in English. Common prepositions of movement include: into, out of, through, towards, away from, across, along, up, down, and over.
How to use them
Prepositions of movement usually come after verbs like go, move, walk, run, travel, or come. They connect the verb to a noun (place or thing). The basic pattern is: Subject + Verb + Preposition of Movement + Noun. For example: 'She walked into the room' or 'They ran towards the door.' The noun after the preposition tells us the destination or direction.
Common prepositions explained
INTO means entering a place (go into a room). OUT OF means leaving a place (come out of a building). THROUGH means moving in one side and out the other (walk through a door). TOWARDS means moving in the direction of something (run towards the station). AWAY FROM means moving in the opposite direction (walk away from home). ACROSS means moving from one side to another (swim across the river). ALONG means moving beside or on a line (walk along the street).
Prepositions of Movement — Quick Reference Guide
| Preposition | Meaning | Type of Motion | Example Phrase | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to | Moving toward a destination | Directional / destination-focused | She walked to the store. | Most common destination preposition; implies arrival |
| toward / towards | Moving in the direction of something, not necessarily arriving | Directional / approach without guaranteed arrival | He ran toward the exit. | Toward (US) / towards (UK); arrival not implied |
| from | Moving away from a starting point or origin | Origin / departure | They drove from Paris. | Often paired with to: from X to Y |
| away from | Moving in the opposite direction of something | Departure / distancing | The dog ran away from the noise. | Emphasises increasing distance from a point |
| into | Moving to the inside of something | Entry / inward movement | She jumped into the pool. | Contrasts with in (static position) |
| out of | Moving from the inside to the outside of something | Exit / outward movement | He climbed out of the car. | Opposite of into |
| through | Moving from one side of something to the other, passing inside it | Passage / traversal | We drove through the tunnel. | Implies entering and exiting the same object or space |
| across | Moving from one side of a surface or area to the other | Traversal of a flat or open surface | They swam across the river. | Used for surfaces, water, open areas; contrast with through |
| along | Moving in a line beside or following the length of something | Linear / parallel movement | We walked along the beach. | Follows a path, road, river, or edge |
| around / round | Moving in a circle or curve enclosing something | Circular / encircling movement | The children ran around the tree. | Round is more common in British English |
| over | Moving above and across something, often in an arc | Upward arc / crossing above | The bird flew over the fence. | Can imply crossing from one side to the other at height |
| under / underneath | Moving below something | Downward / below-surface movement | The cat crept under the table. | Opposite of over |
| up | Moving to a higher position | Upward movement | She climbed up the stairs. | Also used for movement along an ascending path |
| down | Moving to a lower position | Downward movement | He slid down the slope. | Opposite of up |
Formula
✔ Positive
Subject
+
verb of movement
+
preposition of movement
+
noun (place)
They went through the park.
✖ Negative
Subject
+
did not
+
verb of movement
+
preposition of movement
+
noun (place)
She did not walk into the store.
? Question
Did
+
subject
+
verb of movement
+
preposition of movement
+
noun (place)
Did you go towards the city?
Examples
She walked into the classroom.
Everyday action · Going inside a place
The cat ran out of the house.
Common situation · Leaving a place
We drove through the tunnel.
Travel · Moving from one side to the other
He walked towards the train station.
Direction · Moving in the direction of something
The children ran away from the dog.
Common action · Moving in the opposite direction
They swam across the lake.
Movement · Going from one side to the other
When to use it
Describing daily movements
Use prepositions of movement to describe where you go during the day.
"I walked into the office and through the corridor to my desk."
Talking about travel
Explain your journey or route using these prepositions.
"The train went through the mountains and across the bridge."
Describing actions
Show the direction of movement in sports, games, or activities.
"The player ran towards the goal and away from the defenders."
Signal words
into
out of
through
towards
away from
across
along
up
down
over
Common Mistakes
✕
Wrong
She went in the room.
✓
Correct
She went into the room.
Use 'into' (not 'in') when showing movement toward entering a place.
✕
Wrong
They walked through the park to home.
✓
Correct
They walked through the park towards home.
'Towards' shows direction of movement; 'to' indicates the final destination.
✕
Wrong
The dog ran away the house.
✓
Correct
The dog ran away from the house.
'Away from' is a two-word preposition; don't forget 'from'.
✕
Wrong
She walked in the room without knocking.
✓
Correct
She walked into the room without knocking.
Use 'into' to show movement toward a place, not 'in' which indicates location.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What to Remember
- Prepositions of movement show direction or the path something takes through space.
- Common prepositions of movement are: into, out of, through, towards, across, along, up, down, and over.
- Prepositions of movement follow action verbs like go, move, walk, run, travel, and come.
- Each preposition of movement connects the verb to a noun (place or destination).
- Use into for entering a place and out of for leaving a place.