Prepositions of Movement in English: Meaning, Examples & Easy Practice for ESL Learners
- Rose Sensei
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Prepositions of movement show how a person or object moves from one place to another, such as into, across, through, up, and down.
They’re super useful in everyday life—whether you’re talking about walking through a park, travelling across a city, or climbing up a staircase.
This guide explains the most common prepositions of movement with clear examples, a short story, and easy exercises readers can try immediately.
➡️ Watch the video lesson on our YouTube channel! (coming soon)
✨ What Are Prepositions of Movement in English?
They describe movement from point A to point B. We use them with action verbs such as go, walk, run, move, drive, swim, climb, and travel.
Examples:
She walked into the shop.
The bird flew over the river.
They ran around the stadium.
🚶♀️ Common Prepositions of Movement (With Simple Examples)
1. to
Shows movement toward a specific place.
She’s going to the gym.
We drove to the airport.
2. into
Shows movement from outside to inside.
He went into the café.
The cat jumped into the box.
3. out of
Shows movement from inside to outside.
She walked out of the office.
He ran out of the room.
4. toward / towards
Shows movement in the direction of something.
She walked toward the beach.
The dog ran towards its owner.
5. through
Shows movement from one side to the other, inside an area.
We walked through the forest.
She ran through the tunnel.
6. across
Shows movement from one side to the opposite side.
They swam across the lake.
She walked across the street.
7. along
Shows movement that follows a line or path.
He jogged along the river.
They walked along the beach.
8. over
Shows movement higher than something, often from one side to the other.
The bird flew over the trees.
She jumped over the fence.
9. under
Shows movement below something.
The cat crawled under the table.
He walked under the bridge.
10. around
Shows movement in a circular direction.
They cycled around the park.
She walked around the city.
11. up
Shows movement to a higher level.
She climbed up the stairs.
The cat jumped up the shelf.
12. down
Shows movement to a lower level.
He ran down the hill.
The ball rolled down the street.
If you’d like more grammar practice, check out Learn Place Prepositions Through Stories - The Secret Path In The Garden lesson to understand position vs movement.
Now, let's practise Prepositions of Movement in English with a story followed by a Quick Practice.
📚Mini Story: Learning Prepositions Naturally
A Morning Walk in Barcelona
Emma is on holiday in Barcelona. Early in the morning, she walks out of her apartment and goes down the narrow street. She walks toward the beach, enjoying the warm sunshine.
She moves through a small market, where people are buying fresh fruit and flowers. Then she walks along the beachfront, watching the waves roll in.
A playful dog suddenly runs across her path, and its owner calls it back. Emma laughs and continues her walk. She climbs up a small hill to get a better view of the city.
From the top, she can see birds flying over the coastline.
It’s a perfect start to her day.
You may also enjoy learning grammar through stories in our
📝 Quick Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition of movement:
She walked ___ the shop.
He climbed ___ the mountain.
They ran ___ the tunnel.
The boy jumped ___ the fence.
We drove ___ the countryside.
Suggested Answers:
into
up
through
over
through / across (depending on meaning)
📩 Printable PDFs
Looking for more easy grammar lessons? Explore my Grammar Made Simple series for adult English learners.
📌Check out related Grammar and Quiz videos:
🎥 YouTube Channel Playlist
🔗English Prepositions Lessons & Stories https://tinyurl.com/4c9msmwa
🔗Learn Grammar Through Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/bvwvckfu
🔗Grammar Challenge - Test Your English Skills https://tinyurl.com/y23ajb24
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