Across vs Over vs Through

Across vs Over vs Through

It is not always easy and obvious to know whether to use across, over or through in a particular sentence. In this lesson, we’ll try to clear things out.

As a matter of fact, ACROSS  and OVER are both prepositions and adverbs. As such, they are in most cases interchangeable.

Look at these sentences:

• They had to go across the river to get to their house.
• We walked over the bridge in the misty morning.

However, when the meaning is ‘from side to side’, ACROSS is preferred:

• I ran across the street.
• Juliana folded her arms across her chests.

When moving from one side to another in a surrounding environment, across is replaced by THROUGH:

• I couId feel the thorns on my skin but I managed to make my way through the bushes.
• The Red Riding Hood went through the woods to get to her grandma’s house.

Don’t use THROUGH when talking about periods of time. In these cases, OVER is preferred.

• I haven’t seen Tom much over the last three years.
• It took them over thee weeks to prepare the restaurant for the ball.

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