Prepositions of Direction: A Complete Guide

Prepositions of direction are essential in English as they help us describe movement from one place to another. These prepositions indicate motion, destination, or direction and are commonly used with verbs of movement like go, walk, run, move, drive, travel, fly, swim, etc. Mastering prepositions of direction can improve your English communication, making it easier to give directions, describe movements, and explain how things or people travel from one location to another.

What Are Prepositions of Direction?

Prepositions of direction show the movement of an object or person from one place to another. They describe where something or someone is going and often answer the question "Where to?"

Some of the most common prepositions of direction include:

• To

• Into

• Onto

• Out of

• From

• Toward

• Through

• Across

• Up

• Down

• Over

• Under

• Past

Common Prepositions of Direction with Examples

1. To

• Indicates movement toward a specific destination.

• Example: She went to the market.

• Example: I am traveling to Paris next week.

2. Into

• Shows movement from the outside to the inside of a place.

• Example: He walked into the room.

• Example: The cat jumped into the box.

3. Onto

• Indicates movement toward a surface.

• Example: The dog jumped onto the sofa.

• Example: She placed the book onto the shelf.

4. Out of

• Shows movement from the inside to the outside of a place.

• Example: He ran out of the house.

• Example: She took her phone out of her bag.

5. From

• Indicates the starting point of a movement.

• Example: They came from Spain.

• Example: I received a gift from my friend.

6. Toward

• Indicates movement in the direction of something, but not necessarily reaching it.

• Example: He walked toward the car.

• Example: The dog ran toward the park.

7. Through

• Indicates movement from one side of something to the other.

• Example: We drove through the tunnel.

• Example: The river flows through the city.

8. Across

• Shows movement from one side of something to the other.

• Example: She swam across the lake.

• Example: We walked across the street.

9. Up

• Indicates movement in an upward direction.

• Example: He climbed up the stairs.

• Example: She ran up the hill.

10. Down

• Indicates movement in a downward direction.

• Example: The ball rolled down the hill.

• Example: He walked down the street.

11. Over

• Indicates movement across something from one side to another.

• Example: The plane flew over the mountains.

• Example: She jumped over the puddle.

12. Under

• Indicates movement below something.

• Example: The dog crawled under the table.

• Example: He swam under the bridge.

13. Past

• Indicates movement beyond a certain point.

• Example: We walked past the library.

• Example: The car drove past the school.

Rules for Using Prepositions of Direction

1. "To" is always used before a destination or place.

   • Correct: I am going to the store.

   • Incorrect: I am going in the store.

2. Use "into" when referring to movement inside an enclosed space.

   • Correct: He walked into the room.

   • Incorrect: He walked in the room.

3. "Onto" is used when moving onto a surface, while "on" is used for a static position.

   • Correct: The cat jumped onto the table.

   • Incorrect: The cat jumped on the table.

4. Use "out of" when describing movement from an enclosed space to the outside.

   • Correct: She got out of the car.

   • Incorrect: She got from the car.

5. "Past" indicates movement beyond a point, while "through" means movement inside and out.

   • Correct: He walked past the shop.

   • Incorrect: He walked through the shop. (Only correct if he enters and exits the shop.)

Common Mistakes with Prepositions of Direction (With Corrections and Explanations)

Mistake 1: Using "to" instead of "into"

• Incorrect: She went to the room.

• Correct: She went into the room.

• Explanation: "Into" is used for movement inside an enclosed space, while "to" is used for general destinations.

Mistake 2: Using "on" instead of "onto"

• Incorrect: He jumped on the bed.

• Correct: He jumped onto the bed.

• Explanation: "On" is for position, while "onto" is for movement.

Mistake 3: Using "in" instead of "through"

• Incorrect: We walked in the tunnel.

• Correct: We walked through the tunnel.

• Explanation: "Through" shows movement from one side to another.

Mistake 4: Using "over" instead of "past"

• Incorrect: I walked over the shop.

• Correct: I walked past the shop.

• Explanation: "Over" is for movement across the top of something, while "past" means beyond a certain point.

4 Exercises on Prepositions of Direction

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition

1. We drove ______ the tunnel.

2. The ball rolled ______ the hill.

3. She walked ______ the street to meet her friend.

4. He climbed ______ the ladder carefully.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct preposition

1. The cat jumped (onto/in/over) the table.

2. We walked (past/through/across) the door and entered the hall.

3. The dog ran (to/into/on) the garden.

4. The train went (through/up/down) the mountains.

Exercise 3: Correct the mistakes

1. He went on the house. → Correct it: __________

2. She got from the car. → Correct it: __________

3. The bird flew in the tree. → Correct it: __________

4. We walked over the bank. → Correct it: __________

Exercise 4: Write sentences using these prepositions of direction

• Into

• Past

• Through

• Out of