Illustrated Prepositions of Movement

Common prepositions of movement. You can download this image as an A4/A3 wall poster from our free ESL posters page.

prepositions of movement illustrated

Description of images

Below, you see these prepositions of movement describing the above images, in order from top to bottom:
  • into: The mouse is going into the box.
  • out of: The mouse is going out of the box.
  • around: The cat is walking around the box.

  • away: The bird is flying away from the box.
  • toward: The birds are flying toward the box.
  • past: The bird is flying past the box.

  • on to/onto: The frog is going to jump onto the box.
  • off: The frog is going to jump off the box.
  • over: The frog is going to jump over the box.

  • under: The snake is going under the wall.
  • through: The snake is going to go through the pipe.
  • across: The snake is moving across the bridge.

  • up: The boy is walking up the stairs.
  • down: The girl is walking down the stairs.

Vocabulary in context

Below, you see these prepositions of movement used in example sentences, in alphabetical order:
  • across: Alice walked across the road.
  • around: We walked around the lake looking at the ducks.
  • away: Sam was walking away from the school.
  • down: I went down the stairs and into the kitchen.
  • into: I opened the door and walked into the shop.
  • off: I jumped off the board and into the swimming pool.
  • on to/onto: The cat jumped on to my bed.
  • out of: I opened the gate and walked out of the garden.
  • over: The children climbed over the fence to get into the garden.
  • past: I walk past the church every day on my way to school.
  • through: We drove through the tunnel and onto the motorway.
  • toward: Charles is walking toward the school.
  • under: The boat went under the bridge.
  • up: I walked up the stairs and into my bedroom.