2. ABOVE/ OVER
Both: used to describe a position hhigher than
something, although “above” is more commonly
used. I live over/above Macy’s.
Above: used to indicate POSITION above a minimum
level or fixed point. Also used to measure
temperature. It’s three degrees above zero
Over: used to indicate MOVEMENT from one side to
another. Planes fly over my parents’ house.
3. BELOW/ UNDER
Both mean: Lower than
UNDER: movement side to side.
We drove under the bridge
Indicates sth is somehow hidden or covered:
The cat curled under the duvet.
BELOW: Measurement. Indicates lower in a scale. It also
indicates it is not directly under
The temperatures remained below 5ºC.
Parts of Holland are below sea level.
The climbers stopped a few metres below the top.
4. OFF/AWAY
Both mean to distance oneself.
AWAY: + from+person
She run away from her cousin.
OFF: indicates down from a higher place, especially
after “fall”.
She knocked the glass off the table.
5. IN/ INSIDE/ INTO
“Inside” and “in” are synonyms BUT we use INSIDE as
an ADVERB on its own to mean “in a
building, container…”
It’s cold. Let’s have dinner inside.
INTO: + verb of movement/ place mentioned (come
into the class). If we use “in” we visualize the
result, not the movement.
She jumped into / in the river.
6. ON/ ON TOP OF/ ON TOP/ ONTO
ON: Used for surfaces
She left a note on a piece of paper.
ON TOP OF: indicates the highest point of
something, or something covers sth. else.
Leave the box on top of the table.
ON TOP: = “on top of” but it isn’t followed by any
noun.
She ate a chocolate ice cream with nuts on top.
ONTO+ NOUN: indicates movement
The cat jumped onto the sofa.
7. OUTSIDE/ OUT / OUT OF
Similar to uses “inside/ in/ into”
OUTSIDE/OUT : are synonyms BUT we use OUTSIDE as
an ADVERB on its own to mean “out of a
building, container…”
Wait outside
OUT OF: indicates movement. He took a pen out of his
pocket.
occasionaly used to indicate position of a certain object:
I’m out of the building now.
8. ACROSS / THROUGH
BOTH are used with open spaces
ACROSS: From one side to another. Not normally used
for closed palces, just surfaces (e.g. park)
We swam across the river.
TRHOUGH: from one side to another with some
obstacles. We drove through the tunnel
Used for movement in a 3-dimensional spaces, with
things on the sides). Across can’t be used this way.
We walked through the forest.
9. ALONG/ PAST/ ROUND
ALONG indicates from one end towards the other.
Used with nouns like “road, river, corridor…”
The children walked along the line.
PAST: Going to the other side of. Pass
She walked past without saying goodbye.
ROUND (AmE “around”) used to talk about movement
or position in a circle or curve.
There used to be a sweet shop round the corner.
10. TO/ TOWARDS
TOWARDS: means in the general direction of sth/ sb
The kid ran towards his mum.
TO: means it is your final destination
I’m travelling to London.
11. IN / AT
Both are used with BUILDINGS but their meaning is
different:
AT: refers to the activity done in the building
I was at the pub = I was having a drink there. I might
also have been in the terrace.
It refers to a point in space (at the bus stop)
IN= refers to the building itself and its function.
I was in the pub = I was inside, not in the terrace
It’s also a point inside an area or space. in a garden
12. REMEMBER
At (the) hospital /in (the) hospital
At university / in the university
At home/ work (*in the home/work)
