Prepositions of movement grammar in English

Language: English
Level: B1
Unit: Prepositions
Practice types: 0

What this grammar point covers

Prepositions of movement are words that show the direction in which someone or something moves. They describe how something goes from one place to another.

When to use it

Use prepositions of movement when you want to explain the direction or path of a movement. They help answer questions like 'Where is it going?' or 'How does it move from one place to another?'

Key forms

to
into
out of
onto
off
through
across
along
past
over
under
up
down

Examples

She walked into the room.

They ran across the street.

The cat jumped onto the table.

He went up the stairs.

We drove through the tunnel.

Tips

Do not use 'to' before 'home' for movement. Say 'go home', not 'go to home'.
Use 'into' for movement inside something, and 'in' for position.
Some prepositions can show both movement and position. Look at the verb to know the meaning.

Exceptions and edge cases

With some places (like 'home', 'downtown'), do not use 'to' for movement.
Some verbs already include movement, so an extra preposition is not needed (e.g., 'enter the room', not 'enter into the room').