Some of my students ask me to explain the difference between across and through. The meanings are similar and they can even sometimes be used to describe the same thing but the meaning is slightly different and this can be confusing. In this post and video, I will explain the difference.
When something moves inside something else, use “through.”
When something moves over something else without being enclosed, use “across.”
Keep reading for lots of great examples and original images to help you understand how to correctly use these advanced English prepositions.
Watch The Video
Across – preposition
Across – a preposition that means “from one side of something to the other side.” This is often used with verbs of movement.
- Walk across the street.
- Swim across the lake.
- Drive across the city.
Walk across the street.
Another meaning is on the other side (of something). This is used when you describe the location of something. (Where something is, was, or will be.)
- The cafe is across the street.
- My friend had a cottage across the lake.
- Our office is moving across the city.
My friend had a cottage across the lake.
Through – preposition
Through – This has a similar meaning to across, but we use it more for things with some space inside to move. You are inside something for a moment.
- We drove through a tunnel. (We were inside the tunnel.)
- The burglar got in through the window. (He used the window to get inside the house.)
- The police had to walk through the crowd to get to the scene. (The police were inside the crowd.) The police were Surrounded by the crowd.
We drove through a tunnel.
Through with “The Weather“
There is a feeling of being “inside” of weather conditions.
- They drove through the rain. (They were inside the rainy weather.)
- We made it through the storm. (We were inside the storm but we got past the bad weather conditions.)
The explorers hiked through the snow.
Across Versus Through – Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use “Across” And “Through” Interchangeably?
Some places can use either preposition
She walked through the park. OK (She was inside the park.)
She walked across the park. OK (She walked from one side of the park to the other.)
Some places cannot use either preposition
We drove across a tunnel. NG
The children skated through the ice. NG This has a completely different meaning.
Going across the ice is safe. You are on the other side of the lake.
Going through the ice is dangerous. If you go through the ice you are in the water now!
Are There Any Other Prepositions That Can Be Confused With “Across” And “Through”?
Yes, prepositions like “over” and “along” can sometimes be confused with “across.”
Over can be used for movement above something.
- We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge to get to San Francisco. [We drove OVER the bay]
Along implies movement parallel to something.
- It was a lovely day so my wife and I walked along the beach for 2 hours. [We walked PARALLEL TO the ocean (beside the water’s edge)]
Conclusion
When something moves inside something else, use “through.”
- The roller coaster takes you through a dark tunnel, that’s the scariest part for me!
When something moves over something else without being enclosed, use “across.”
- We took a ferry across the harbor. It’s a fun way to get to downtown Sydney.
