Detailed insight into prepositions of movement in English

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The prepositions of movement are one of the important grammatical topics. However, many of you still do not clearly understand how to use each type of preposition indicating movement. In this article, PREP will help you learn detailed knowledge about prepositions of movement in English. Let's see!

Detailed insight into prepositions of movement in English

I. What are prepositions of movement?
II. The usage of prepositions of movement in English
III. Exercise on prepositions of movement
IV. The Smart Way to Crack the IELTS Exam

I. What are prepositions of movement?

Prepositions of movement are words that indicate the direction or manner of movement from one place to another. They help to describe changes in position or location in relation to a reference point. These prepositions provide crucial information about how someone or something is moving or positioned in space.

Below are some preposition movement examples:

When is Hanna going back to London?
You go out of the library and turn left.

II. The usage of prepositions of movement in English

Prepositions of movement play a crucial role in English grammar, indicating the direction of movement or position in relation to a place or object. There's a variety of prepositions of movement in English. Let's delve deeper into the meanings, usages, and specific examples associated with each preposition of movement in English:

Preposition of movement	Usage	Example
To	The preposition of movement “to” describes the destination of someone/something	Hanna walks to school every day. Martin was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Into	The preposition of movement "Into" describes movement inside a space, area, or place (office, building, car,...)	Please come into the house. Martin got into his car.
Out of	The preposition "out of" indicates movement away from a specific place or location, the opposite direction of "into."	Martin got out of his car. Jenny goes out of the building and turns right.
Up	The preposition of movement “up” describes upward movement	Harry ran up the stairs. My cat climbs up the tree.
Down	The preposition “down” is used to describe downward movement	A stone rolled down the mountain. The dog jumped down from the bench.
Along	The preposition "along" denotes movement in a parallel direction with something (road, river,…)	Hanna saw a boy running along the road. Sara looked along the shelves for the book she needed.
Through	The preposition of movement “through” describes the movement of an object from one point to another, usually entering at one end and exiting at the other.	Martin walked through the woods. Harry drove through the tunnel.
Across	The preposition of movement “across” describes the movement of an object from one side of something (a road, a city, a river) to the other.	Workers are building a new bridge across the river. Hanna drew a line across the page.
Toward(s)	The preposition "towards" signifies the direction of movement	Hanna walked towards him. Martin sat looking out toward(s) the lake.
Over	The preposition of movement “over” describes movement from one point to another, usually from a higher position to a lower position.	My cat jumped over the wall. The road goes over the hill.
Past	The preposition "past" signifies movement going beyond or alongside someone or something.	Hanna walked past John without noticing him.
Round/ A round	This preposition of movement describes circular motion that does not follow a certain direction.	My team sat around the table. The earth moves round the sun.
About	The preposition of movement “about” describes movement within a certain area.	Anna and John are playing about the yard.

III. Exercise on prepositions of movement

After studying the theory about prepositions of movement above, let's tackle the preposition of movement exercises with answers below to reinforce our understanding!

Exercise: Complete the following sentences with prepositions of movement

Hanna flew from Korea _____ Australia.
Hanna walked _____ a beautiful forest.
My dog was on the table; then it jumped _____ the floor.
Martin got _____ the car and ran _____ his house.
He escaped _____ a door in the back of the building.
We took a boat _____ the river.
The robber broke his leg when jumping _____ a wall.
Jenny threw the phone _____ the water.
When Hanna walked _____ me, she pretended she didn’t know me.
Some people risk their lives to travel _____ the Mexico-United States border.
Hanna threw the ball _____ the fence.
Jenny is going _____ Oxford for a conference.
Linda went _____ the room and turned on the TV.
When the light turned green, Martin walked _____ the street.
Daisy saw a wasp flying _____ her and ran away.

Keys:

1. to	2. through	3. down	4. out of/ into	5. through
6. across	7. over	8. into	9. pass	10. across
11. over	12. to	13. into	14. across	15. toward(s)

IV. The Smart Way to Crack the IELTS Exam

PREP has compiled comprehensive information on prepositions of movement in English in the preceding article, encompassing usage explanations, illustrative examples, and exercises complete with answers. If you need a confidence boost, PREP’s real-time practice and expert feedback will help you achieve your target band score.

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Chloe

Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.