A2 English Lesson: Prepositions of Movement
Warm-Up Speaking Questions (5 minutes)
Instructions: Discuss these questions with a partner.
- How do you get to school or work every day?
- Where do you go at the weekend?
- Do you walk or drive to the supermarket?
- What time do you usually come home from work/school?
- Do you often go out with friends? Where do you go?
Prepositions of Movement: Vocabulary and Rules
Basic Movement Prepositions
TO - Direction towards a destination
- Use: Shows movement towards a place
- Examples:
- I go to work every morning.
- She walks to the park.
- We drive to the city center.
- They fly to London tomorrow.
INTO - Movement from outside to inside
- Use: Shows entering a place or space
- Examples:
- He walks into the room.
- She gets into the car.
- The cat runs into the house.
- We go into the store.
ONTO - Movement from a lower position to a higher/upper surface
- Use: Shows movement to the top or surface of something
- Examples:
- The cat jumps onto the table.
- She climbs onto the bed.
- He puts the book onto the shelf.
- We get onto the bus.
OUT OF - Movement from inside to outside
- Use: Shows leaving a place or space
- Examples:
- She comes out of the building.
- He gets out of the car.
- The dog runs out of the house.
- We walk out of the cinema.
OFF - Movement away from a surface
- Use: Shows leaving a surface or getting down from something
- Examples:
- She gets off the bus.
- He falls off his bike.
- The bird flies off the tree.
- We step off the train.
THROUGH - Movement from one side to the other
- Use: Shows passing from one side of something to the other
- Examples:
- We walk through the park.
- She drives through the tunnel.
- He looks through the window.
- They run through the forest.
ACROSS - Movement from one side to the other side
- Use: Shows crossing from one side to another (usually flat surfaces)
- Examples:
- She walks across the street.
- We swim across the river.
- He runs across the field.
- They drive across the bridge.
ALONG - Movement following a line or path
- Use: Shows movement following something long
- Examples:
- We walk along the beach.
- She drives along the road.
- He runs along the river.
- They cycle along the path.
AROUND - Movement in a circle or avoiding something
- Use: Shows circular movement or going in different directions
- Examples:
- We walk around the lake.
- She drives around the city.
- He runs around the park.
- They travel around Europe.
UP - Movement to a higher position
- Use: Shows upward movement
- Examples:
- She walks up the stairs.
- He climbs up the mountain.
- We go up to the second floor.
- They run up the hill.
DOWN - Movement to a lower position
- Use: Shows downward movement
- Examples:
- She walks down the stairs.
- He slides down the hill.
- We go down to the basement.
- They run down the street.
Common Verbs Used with Movement Prepositions
| Verb | Examples |
|---|
| go | go to school, go into the house, go up the stairs |
| come | come to the party, come out of the room, come down the hill |
| walk | walk to the store, walk through the park, walk along the river |
| run | run to the bus, run into the building, run across the field |
| drive | drive to work, drive through the city, drive along the coast |
| fly | fly to Paris, fly over the mountains, fly across the ocean |
| jump | jump onto the bed, jump over the fence, jump into the water |
| climb | climb up the tree, climb onto the roof, climb over the wall |
| fall | fall off the bike, fall down the stairs, fall into the river |
| get | get into the car, get out of the taxi, get onto the train |
Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Preposition (10 minutes)
Instructions: Circle the correct preposition in each sentence.
- I walk (to/into/at) school every morning.
- She gets (in/into/onto) the car and drives away.
- The children run (out of/off/from) the house to play.
- We go (up/onto/over) the stairs to the second floor.
- He jumps (in/into/onto) the swimming pool.
- They drive (through/across/along) the tunnel.
- She walks (across/through/around) the street carefully.
- The cat climbs (up/onto/over) the tree.
- We travel (around/through/across) Europe every summer.
- He falls (of/off/from) his bicycle.
- She comes (out of/off/from) the building at 5 PM.
- We walk (along/across/through) the beach in the evening.
Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences (10 minutes)
Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition from the box.
Box: to, into, onto, out of, off, through, across, along, around, up, down
- Every morning, I go _______ work by bus.
- She gets _______ the train at the next station.
- The dog runs _______ the garden to catch the ball.
- We walk _______ the bridge to cross the river.
- He climbs _______ the ladder to fix the roof.
- They drive _______ the forest on their way home.
- She walks _______ the shopping center looking for a dress.
- The children slide _______ the hill on their sleds.
- We get _______ the bus and walk to the museum.
- He jumps _______ the table to reach the window.
- They swim _______ the lake every summer.
- She walks _______ the river path every evening.
Exercise 3: Match the Pictures with Sentences (10 minutes)
Instructions: Match each sentence with the correct situation.
Sentences:
- The man walks into the bank.
- The girl climbs up the tree.
- The car drives through the tunnel.
- The woman gets off the bus.
- The children run across the playground.
- The cat jumps onto the sofa.
- The family walks along the beach.
- The bird flies out of the cage.
Situations:
a) Movement from inside to outside
b) Movement to a higher position
c) Movement from outside to inside
d) Movement from one side to the other (underground)
e) Movement from one side to the other (open space)
f) Movement onto a surface
g) Movement following a path
h) Movement away from a surface
Exercise 4: Error Correction (10 minutes)
Instructions: Find and correct the mistakes in these sentences.
- I go at school every day.
- She gets in the car and drives away.
- We walk cross the street.
- He runs in the house quickly.
- They climb on the mountain.
- She jumps in the swimming pool.
- We drive across the tunnel.
- The cat falls of the tree.
- He walks through the beach.
- She comes from the building.
Exercise 5: Preposition Story (15 minutes)
Instructions: Read the story and fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions.
My Daily Journey
Every morning, I walk (1)_______ my house and go (2)_______ the bus stop. I wait for the number 25 bus. When it arrives, I get (3)_______ the bus and find a seat. The bus drives (4)_______ the city center, passing (5)_______ many shops and cafes.
I get (6)_______ the bus near the park and walk (7)_______ the main street. Then I turn left and walk (8)_______ a small alley. At the end of the alley, I go (9)_______ a tall building. I take the elevator (10)_______ to the fifth floor where I work.
At lunchtime, I come (11)_______ the building and walk (12)_______ the park. I like to sit by the lake and watch the ducks swimming (13)_______ the water. Sometimes I walk (14)_______ the lake to get exercise.
After work, I go (15)_______ the elevator to the ground floor. I walk back (16)_______ the alley and (17)_______ the main street to the bus stop. The bus takes me home, and I get (18)_______ near my house. Finally, I walk (19)_______ my front door and relax.
Grammar Focus: Prepositions vs. Adverbs (10 minutes)
Important Distinction
Prepositions need an object (noun/pronoun) after them:
- She goes into the house. (house = object)
- He walks to school. (school = object)
Adverbs don't need an object:
- She goes in. (no object)
- He walks away. (no object)
Common Pairs
| Preposition + Object | Adverb (no object) |
|---|
| go into the room | go in |
| come out of the building | come out |
| climb up the tree | climb up |
| fall down the stairs | fall down |
| get onto the train | get on |
| get off the bus | get off |
Practice
Choose the correct form:
- Please come (in/into).
- She walks (in/into) the store.
- The elevator goes (up/onto).
- We climb (up/onto) the mountain.
- Get (off/out of) here!
- He gets (off/out of) the car.
Speaking Activities (20 minutes)
Activity 1: Giving Directions (10 minutes)
Instructions: Work in pairs. Student A gives directions, Student B follows them.
Student A: Give directions from the school to different places using prepositions of movement.
Example phrases:
- "Walk out of the school building..."
- "Go straight along Main Street..."
- "Turn left and walk across the bridge..."
- "Walk through the park..."
- "Go up the stairs to the second floor..."
Places to give directions to:
- The nearest supermarket
- The post office
- The train station
- A restaurant
- The library
Activity 2: Describing Daily Routines (10 minutes)
Instructions: Tell your partner about your daily routine using prepositions of movement.
Prompts:
- How do you get to work/school?
- Where do you go for lunch?
- How do you get home?
- Where do you go in the evening?
- What do you do at the weekend?
Useful phrases:
- "First, I walk out of my house..."
- "Then I get onto the bus..."
- "I go into the office building..."
- "At lunchtime, I walk to..."
- "After work, I drive through..."
Final Speaking Questions (15 minutes)
Instructions: Discuss these questions with your partner. Use prepositions of movement in your answers.
- Travel and Transportation:
- How do you usually travel around your city?
- Have you ever been on a long journey? Describe your route.
- Do you prefer to walk through parks or along busy streets?
- Daily Activities:
- What's the first thing you do when you come into your house?
- Where do you like to go when you want to relax?
- Do you often go out of the city at weekends?
- Past Experiences:
- Tell me about a time when you got lost. How did you get to your destination?
- Have you ever traveled around a foreign country? Where did you go?
- Describe a journey you took recently. Use as many movement prepositions as possible.
- Hypothetical Situations:
- If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and how would you get there?
- Imagine you're showing a tourist around your city. What route would you take them on?
- If you had to give directions to your house, what would you say?
- Preferences and Opinions:
- Do you like to drive through the countryside or along the coast?
- Would you rather walk up a mountain or across a desert?
- Do you prefer to travel around cities by car or on foot?
Homework
1. Vocabulary Practice
Write 10 sentences using different prepositions of movement. Each sentence should describe a real action from your daily life.
2. Direction Writing
Write directions from your house to your favorite restaurant or shop. Use at least 8 different prepositions of movement.
3. Story Writing
Write a short story (100-150 words) about a journey. It could be real or imaginary. Use as many movement prepositions as possible.
4. Observation Task
For one day, pay attention to how you move around. Write down 5 sentences describing your movements using the prepositions you learned.
Answer Key
Exercise 1:
- to, 2. into, 3. out of, 4. up, 5. into, 6. through, 7. across, 8. up, 9. around, 10. off, 11. out of, 12. along
Exercise 2:
- to, 2. off, 3. into, 4. across, 5. up, 6. through, 7. around, 8. down, 9. off, 10. onto, 11. across, 12. along
Exercise 3:
1-c, 2-b, 3-d, 4-h, 5-e, 6-f, 7-g, 8-a
Exercise 4:
- to school, 2. into the car, 3. across the street, 4. into the house, 5. up the mountain, 6. into the swimming pool, 7. through the tunnel, 8. off the tree, 9. along the beach, 10. out of the building
Exercise 5:
- out of, 2. to, 3. onto, 4. through, 5. through, 6. off, 7. along, 8. through, 9. into, 10. up, 11. out of, 12. into, 13. across, 14. around, 15. down, 16. through, 17. along, 18. off, 19. through
Grammar Practice:
- in, 2. into, 3. up, 4. up, 5. out, 6. out of
Quick Reference Card
Remember:
- TO = direction towards
- INTO = outside → inside
- ONTO = lower → higher surface
- OUT OF = inside → outside
- OFF = away from surface
- THROUGH = one side → other side
- ACROSS = crossing flat surfaces
- ALONG = following a path
- AROUND = circular movement
- UP = to higher position
- DOWN = to lower position