B1 Confusable-words 18 min read Medio

Across vs. Through: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?

Across is for surfaces (2D); through is for passing inside something (3D).
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'across' for flat surfaces and 'through' for three-dimensional spaces or volumes.

  • Use 'across' for 2D surfaces like roads or bridges: 'I ran across the street.'
  • Use 'through' for 3D spaces like tunnels or forests: 'I walked through the woods.'
  • Use 'across' for the other side: 'He lives across the river.'
Across = 🏃‍♂️ + 📏 | Through = 🏃‍♂️ + 📦

Overview

### Overview
Dominar las preposiciones de movimiento es uno de los pasos fundamentales para alcanzar la fluidez en el nivel B1. Para nosotros, los hispanohablantes, las palabras across y through suelen presentar un desafío particular porque en español muchas veces las traducimos de la misma manera: como cruzar, atravesar o simplemente por. Sin embargo, en la mentalidad anglosajona, estas dos palabras describen experiencias espaciales completamente distintas.
No se trata solo de ir de un punto A a un punto B, sino de *cómo es el espacio* que hay entre esos dos puntos.
La clave para diferenciar estas preposiciones radica en la dimensión del espacio. Imagina que estás mirando un mapa: si te mueves sobre una superficie plana, como una hoja de papel, estás usando across. Pero si te mueves dentro de algo que tiene volumen, como una caja o un bosque, estás usando through.
Esta distinción entre lo bidimensional (2D) y lo tridimensional (3D) es el pilar que sostiene todo el uso correcto de estas palabras.
Entender esta diferencia no solo te ayudará a aprobar exámenes, sino que te permitirá sonar mucho más natural. En inglés, la precisión espacial es vital. Si dices que caminaste across the forest, un nativo imaginará que caminaste por encima de las copas de los árboles o que el bosque era tan pequeño que solo lo viste como una mancha en el suelo.
En cambio, si dices through the forest, entenderán que estuviste rodeado de árboles, viviendo la experiencia de estar *dentro* del lugar. A lo largo de esta guía, exploraremos estas sutilezas para que nunca más vuelvas a dudar entre una y otra.
### How This Grammar Works
Para entender cómo funcionan across y through, debemos analizar cómo el inglés conceptualiza el entorno. A diferencia del español, donde el verbo suele llevar gran parte de la carga del significado (como en atravesar), en inglés el verbo suele indicar la acción (walk, run, drive) y la preposición indica la relación con el espacio.
La naturaleza de across (Superficies y Límites)
Across se utiliza principalmente cuando el movimiento ocurre sobre una superficie abierta o cuando se cruza una línea divisoria. Piensa en ello como el movimiento de un lado al otro de algo que percibimos como plano o extenso.
  • Movimiento sobre una superficie física: Se aplica a calles, puentes, campos, ríos o desiertos. Aunque un río tiene profundidad, cuando decimos swim across the river, nos enfocamos en la distancia entre las dos orillas (la superficie).
  • Extensión o posición: También se usa para describir algo que se extiende de un lado a otro. Por ejemplo, a bridge across the river (un puente sobre el río).
  • El lado opuesto: En contextos de ubicación, funciona como
    al otro lado de
    . Si estás en un café y tu amigo está en la acera de enfrente, él está across the street.
La naturaleza de through (Volumen y Envolvimiento)
Through se refiere a un movimiento que ocurre dentro de un espacio tridimensional. Aquí, el sujeto está rodeado por el entorno. Es la diferencia entre caminar sobre una alfombra (across) y caminar por un túnel (through).
  • Espacios cerrados o densos: Se usa para túneles, pasillos, habitaciones, bosques o multitudes de personas. Si hay objetos a tus lados, por encima o a tu alrededor, la palabra es through.
  • Medios o sustancias: Cuando te mueves a través de algo que te envuelve, como el agua (si estás buceando), el aire, la niebla o el cristal. Ejemplo: Light comes through the window (La luz pasa a través del cristal).
  • Procesos y tiempo: Metafóricamente, usamos through para indicar que estamos atravesando una etapa o un periodo de tiempo. I am going through a difficult time (Estoy pasando por un momento difícil).
En resumen, mientras que across es como dibujar una línea en un papel, through es como meter un hilo por el ojo de una aguja o caminar por un pasillo oscuro.
### Formation Pattern
La estructura gramatical para usar estas preposiciones es bastante sencilla y sigue el patrón estándar de las preposiciones de movimiento en inglés. Generalmente, verás esta combinación:
[Sujeto] + [Verbo de movimiento/acción] + [across / through] + [Objeto/Lugar]
Aquí tienes una tabla comparativa para visualizar la estructura:
| Verbo (Acción) | Preposición | Objeto (El espacio) | Traducción sugerida |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| She ran | across | the field | Ella corrió por el campo (superficie abierta). |
| The train goes | through | the tunnel | El tren pasa por el túnel (espacio cerrado). |
| He looked | across | the room | Él miró al otro lado de la habitación (espacio abierto). |
| He looked | through | the keyhole | Él miró por el ojo de la cerradura (un orificio). |
Puntos clave sobre la formación:
  1. 1Verbos comunes: Los verbos que más frecuentemente acompañan a estas preposiciones son: walk, run, drive, fly, swim, travel, go, come, look, pass.
  2. 2Sin artículos: A veces, en expresiones fijas, no usamos el artículo the, pero la estructura se mantiene: travel across Europe o get through life.
  3. 3Phrasal Verbs: ¡Ojo aquí! Existen verbos compuestos que usan estas palabras y cuyo significado cambia totalmente. Por ejemplo, come across significa
    encontrarse con algo por casualidad
    , y get through puede significar
    lograr comunicarse por teléfono
    o superar un examen. No los confundas con el uso puramente espacial.
### When To Use It
Para saber cuál elegir, hazte esta pregunta: ¿Me siento rodeado por el espacio o estoy simplemente encima de él?
#### Cuándo usar across:
  1. 1Cruzar de un lado a otro en espacios abiertos:
  • We walked across the bridge. (Caminamos por el puente, de un extremo al otro).
  • The cat ran across the road. (El gato cruzó la carretera).
  1. 1Ubicación en el lado opuesto:
  • My house is across the park. (Mi casa está al otro lado del parque).
  • He sat across from me at dinner. (Se sentó frente a mí, al otro lado de la mesa).
  1. 1Movimiento en una superficie plana (2D):
  • Draw a line across the page. (Dibuja una línea que cruce la página).
  • The news spread across the country. (Las noticias se extendieron por todo el país —visto como un mapa plano—).
#### Cuándo usar through:
  1. 1Movimiento dentro de un volumen (3D):
  • We drove through the city center. (Conducimos por el centro, rodeados de edificios y tráfico).
  • The path goes through the woods. (El sendero atraviesa el bosque, rodeado de árboles).
  1. 1Pasar por un orificio o apertura:
  • The water flows through the pipe. (El agua fluye por la tubería).
  • I can't see through these dirty glasses. (No puedo ver a través de estas gafas sucias).
  1. 1Superar obstáculos o procesos (Uso figurado):
  • She got through the interview successfully. (Superó la entrevista).
  • We have to go through security at the airport. (Tenemos que pasar por el control de seguridad).
  1. 1A lo largo de un periodo de tiempo:
  • He slept through the movie. (Se durmió durante toda la película, de principio a fin).
### Common Mistakes
Como profesor, he notado que los estudiantes hispanohablantes suelen caer en las mismas trampas debido a la interferencia de nuestro idioma materno. Aquí te detallo los errores más comunes:
1. Confundir el verbo cross con la preposición across
En español usamos el verbo cruzar. En inglés, cross es el verbo y across es la preposición.
  • Incorrecto: *I acrossed the street.*
  • Correcto: I crossed the street (verbo) o I walked across the street (verbo + preposición).
  • Por qué sucede: Intentamos convertir la preposición en un verbo porque en español cruzar ya contiene la idea del movimiento y la dirección.
2. Usar through para calles abiertas
Muchos alumnos dicen: *I walked through the street* cuando quieren decir que cruzaron de una acera a otra.
  • Error: Si dices through the street, parece que vas por debajo del asfalto o que la calle es un túnel estrecho.
  • Correcto: I walked across the street (si la cruzas) o I walked along the street (si caminas por ella longitudinalmente).
3. Olvidar que through implica rodeado de
Imagina que estás en un parque muy abierto, con pocos árboles. Si dices I walked through the park, estás enfatizando que pasaste por el medio de él. Pero si es un parque tipo plaza plana, across es más natural.
  • Truco: Si puedes ver el cielo y no hay nada a tus lados, usa across. Si hay obstáculos, gente o paredes, usa through.
4. El falso amigo actually vs currently (Bonus de vocabulario)
Aunque no es de preposiciones, recuerda que en B1 solemos confundir estos. Si quieres decir que estás pasando por algo actualmente, no uses actually (que significa en realidad). Di: I am currently going through a lot of stress.
### Contrast With Similar Patterns
Es fácil confundir across y through con otras preposiciones como over o along. Vamos a compararlas para que veas la diferencia clara.
| Preposición | Concepto Clave | Ejemplo Visual |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Across | De un lado a otro (superficie 2D). | Cruzar una calle o un río por la superficie. |
| Through | Por el interior (espacio 3D). | Pasar por un túnel o un bosque denso. |
| Over | Por encima de algo (sin tocarlo o cruzando una barrera). | Un avión volando sobre una ciudad o saltar una valla. |
| Along | Siguiendo una línea o camino (longitudinal). | Caminar por la orilla del mar o por una calle sin cruzarla. |
Diferencia Crítica: Across vs. Over
Ambos pueden significar cruzar, pero over suele implicar que hay algo que superar físicamente, como una altura.
  • I climbed over the wall (Había una barrera vertical).
  • I walked across the field (Era una superficie plana).
Diferencia Crítica: Through vs. Along
  • I walked through the hallway (Estás dentro del pasillo, rodeado por las paredes).
  • I walked along the corridor (Estás siguiendo la línea del pasillo, el énfasis está en la dirección, no en el confinamiento).
### Quick FAQ
1. ¿Puedo decir swim across the pool y swim through the pool?
¡Sí, pero significan cosas distintas! Swim across the pool significa que nadas de un borde al otro por la superficie. Swim through the pool sugeriría que estás buceando por debajo del agua, atravesando la masa de líquido (el volumen).
2. ¿Cuál uso para hablar de redes sociales o internet?
Generalmente usamos across. Por ejemplo: The video went viral across all social media platforms. Lo vemos como una extensión sobre una superficie o mapa de redes.
Sin embargo, si hablas de enviar información, puedes decir The data travels through the network (viendo la red como un sistema de tuberías o cables).
3. ¿Cómo digo por la ventana?
Siempre es through the window. Por ejemplo: The thief entered through the window. Como la ventana es una apertura en una pared (un espacio 3D), la idea es que algo pasa de un lado al otro rompiendo o atravesando ese límite volumétrico.
4. ¿Se usa through para el tiempo?
Sí, es muy común para indicar que algo duró desde el principio hasta el final de un evento. I slept through the alarm (Me quedé dormido y no oí la alarma en todo el tiempo que sonó). También se usa en fechas: Monday through Friday (De lunes a viernes inclusive).
Espero que esta explicación te haya ayudado a visualizar estas preposiciones. Recuerda: across es plano, through tiene volumen. ¡Sigue practicando y verás cómo pronto las usarás sin pensar!

Usage with Common Verbs

Verb With 'Across' (Surface) With 'Through' (Volume)
Walk
Walk across the bridge
Walk through the forest
Run
Run across the track
Run through the tunnel
Drive
Drive across the border
Drive through the city
Swim
Swim across the lake
Swim through the reeds
Look
Look across the valley
Look through the telescope
Cut
Cut across the grass
Cut through the meat
Fly
Fly across the ocean
Fly through the clouds
Pass
Pass across the screen
Pass through the gate

Meanings

These prepositions describe movement from one side of something to the other, but they differ based on the geometry of the object being crossed.

1

Across: Surface Movement

Movement from one side to the other of a flat area, surface, or line.

“The cat ran across the lawn.”

“They are building a new bridge across the bay.”

2

Through: Volume Movement

Movement from one side to the other within a three-dimensional space, often surrounded by things.

“The train went through the tunnel.”

“Water flows through the pipes.”

3

Across: Position

On the opposite side of something.

“The pharmacy is just across the road.”

“She sat across from me at dinner.”

4

Through: Time and Process

From the beginning to the end of a period or a series of actions.

“He slept through the entire movie.”

“I read through the contract carefully.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Across vs. Through: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
Function Preposition Example
Movement (2D)
Across
He ran across the playground.
Movement (3D)
Through
The mouse ran through the pipe.
Position
Across
The bank is across the street.
Duration
Through
She worked through the weekend.
Medium
Through
I heard it through the grapevine.
Distribution
Across
The policy applies across the firm.
Completion
Through
I am halfway through the book.
Obstacle
Through
We pushed through the heavy snow.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
The pedestrians traversed across the municipal park.

The pedestrians traversed across the municipal park. (Daily life)

Neutral
They walked across the park.

They walked across the park. (Daily life)

Informal
They cut across the park.

They cut across the park. (Daily life)

Jerga
They headed across the park.

They headed across the park. (Daily life)

2D vs 3D Movement

Across (2D)
Bridge Across the bridge
Street Across the street
Through (3D)
Tunnel Through the tunnel
Forest Through the forest

Which one should I use?

1

Is it a flat surface?

YES
Use 'Across'
NO
Next question
2

Are you inside it?

YES
Use 'Through'
NO
Use 'Over' or 'Past'
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Ejemplos por nivel

1

I walk across the road.

2

The cat goes through the window.

3

He lives across the street.

4

We go through the park.

1

She ran across the bridge to catch the bus.

2

The bird flew through the open door.

3

They walked across the big field.

4

I can't see through these dirty glasses.

1

We sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in three weeks.

2

The sunlight shone through the leaves of the trees.

3

I found this old photo while looking through a drawer.

4

News of the accident spread quickly across the town.

1

The company has offices scattered across the country.

2

He managed to get through the exam despite being ill.

3

The bullet passed through the wooden plank.

4

She stared across the room at her rival.

1

The virus spread across the population with alarming speed.

2

I've been through a lot of emotional turmoil lately.

3

The architect designed a path that cuts across the courtyard.

4

He spoke through an interpreter during the summit.

1

The theme of redemption resonates across his entire body of work.

2

We must see this initiative through to its logical conclusion.

3

The signal was transmitted across a series of relay stations.

4

She navigated through the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the ministry.

Fácil de confundir

Across vs. Through: What's the Difference? vs Across vs. Over

Both can mean moving to the other side of a road or river.

Across vs. Through: What's the Difference? vs Through vs. Along

Learners use 'through' when they mean following a path.

Across vs. Through: What's the Difference? vs Across vs. Across from

Learners forget the 'from' when describing location.

Errores comunes

✗

I go across the door.

✓

I go through the door.

A door is an opening you go inside of.
✗

The car goes through the bridge.

✓

The car goes across the bridge.

A bridge is a surface you drive on top of.
✗

I walk through the street.

✓

I walk across the street.

Streets are usually treated as 2D surfaces.
✗

He is through the room.

✓

He is across the room.

Use 'across' to describe a position on the other side of a flat space.
✗

We walked across the woods.

✓

We walked through the woods.

Woods are 3D environments.
✗

The bird flew across the window.

✓

The bird flew through the window.

If the bird entered the house, it went 'through' the opening.
✗

I looked across the keyhole.

✓

I looked through the keyhole.

A keyhole is a 3D passage for your vision.
✗

I slept across the meeting.

✓

I slept through the meeting.

Use 'through' for duration of time.
✗

The news went through the country.

✓

The news went across the country.

Distribution over a flat area uses 'across'.
✗

He pushed across the crowd.

✓

He pushed through the crowd.

A crowd is a 3D volume of people.
✗

The idea spread through the board.

✓

The idea spread across the board.

'Across the board' is a fixed idiom meaning 'applying to all'.

Patrones de oraciones

I walked across the ___.

The train went through the ___.

It's located just across from the ___.

I've been looking through my ___ all morning.

Real World Usage

GPS/Navigation constant

Drive across the bridge and then go through the tunnel.

Social Media very common

I was scrolling through my Instagram feed.

Job Interviews occasional

I have worked with teams across different time zones.

Travel very common

We backpacked through Europe last summer.

Office/Work common

Let's walk through the project requirements.

Texting very common

I'm halfway through the movie, call u later!

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💡

The Paper vs. Box Test

If the object is like a piece of paper, use 'across'. If it's like a box you can be inside, use 'through'.
⚠️

Avoid 'Acrosst'

Many people mistakenly add a 't' to the end of 'across'. It is always 'across', never 'acrosst'.
🎯

Through for Time

When talking about time, 'through' means from start to finish. 'I worked through my lunch break' means you didn't stop.
💬

Across from vs Opposite

If you are in London, you'll hear 'opposite' more. In New York, you'll hear 'across from'. Both are correct!

Smart Tips

Check if you are 'on top' of the thing (Across) or 'inside' the thing (Through).

We drove across the tunnel. → We drove through the tunnel.

Always use 'across from' if you are describing where a building is.

The cafe is across the library. → The cafe is across from the library.

Use 'through' because you are moving from the first page to the last page (a volume of work).

I read across the book. → I read through the book.

Use 'across' to show distribution, like a blanket covering a bed.

The flu spread through the whole country. → The flu spread across the whole country.

Pronunciación

/əˈkrɒs/

Across Ending

The 'ss' in across is a voiceless /s/ sound. Do not add a 't' at the end (a common native-speaker error: 'acrosst').

/θruː/

Through Vowel

The 'ough' is pronounced like 'oo' in 'food'. The 'th' is the voiceless /θ/ as in 'think'.

Emphasis on Preposition

I didn't go OVER it, I went THROUGH it!

Used to correct a misunderstanding about the path taken.

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Across is for an Area (flat); Through is for a Tunnel (3D).

Asociación visual

Imagine a flat sheet of paper. To get to the other side, you go 'across'. Now imagine a straw. To get to the other side, you must go 'through'.

Rhyme

Across the floor, through the door.

Story

A hiker wanted to reach a mountain. First, he walked across a flat desert (2D). Then, he had to hike through a thick, dark forest (3D). Finally, he swam across a wide river (2D) to reach the base.

Word Web

SurfaceBridgeRoadTunnelForestInsideOppositeDuration

Desafío

Look around your room. Identify one thing you can move 'across' (like a rug) and one thing you can move 'through' (like a doorway). Say the sentences out loud.

Notas culturales

In the UK, 'across from' is often replaced by 'opposite'. For example, 'The pub is opposite the station.'

Americans almost exclusively use 'across from' for locations. 'The store is across from the mall.'

Similar to British English, but 'across' is frequently used in sports commentary to describe the movement of the ball over the field.

'Across' comes from the 13th-century Old French 'a croix', meaning 'in the form of a cross'. 'Through' comes from the Old English 'thurh', which has Proto-Germanic roots.

Inicios de conversación

“

Have you ever walked across a very long bridge?

“

What is the most beautiful forest you have ever walked through?

“

If you had to travel across the ocean, would you prefer a ship or a plane?

“

Tell me about a difficult time you've been through recently.

Temas para diario

Describe your walk from your house to the nearest grocery store. Mention what you walk across and what you walk through.
Write a short story about a character who has to get through a crowded city to meet someone across town.
Reflect on a book or movie you recently finished. What themes did you see throughout (through) the story?
Discuss the challenges of moving across the world to a new culture.

Errores comunes

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

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Test Yourself

Choose the correct preposition. Opción múltiple

The hikers walked ___ the thick forest for three hours.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: through
A forest is a 3D space where you are surrounded by trees.
Fill in the blank with 'across' or 'through'.

He drew a line ___ the middle of the page.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: across
A page is a 2D surface.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

The train passed across the tunnel at high speed.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: passed through
Trains go inside tunnels, so 'through' is required.
Match the noun with the most likely preposition. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Across, 2-Through, 3-Through, 4-Across
Bridges and deserts are surfaces; tunnels and crowds are volumes.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

lives / she / the / street / across

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She lives across the street.
The standard order is Subject + Verb + Prepositional Phrase.
Is this rule correct? True False Rule

We use 'through' for flat surfaces like a map.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
We use 'across' for flat surfaces.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: How do I get to the bank? B: Just walk ___ the bridge and it's on your left.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: across
Bridges are surfaces you walk on.
Sort these into 'Across' or 'Through' categories. Grammar Sorting

1. A pipe, 2. A lake, 3. A window, 4. A field

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Across: 2,4 | Through: 1,3
Lakes and fields are surfaces; pipes and windows are 3D passages.

Score: /8

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises
Choose the correct preposition. Opción múltiple

The hikers walked ___ the thick forest for three hours.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: through
A forest is a 3D space where you are surrounded by trees.
Fill in the blank with 'across' or 'through'.

He drew a line ___ the middle of the page.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: across
A page is a 2D surface.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

The train passed across the tunnel at high speed.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: passed through
Trains go inside tunnels, so 'through' is required.
Match the noun with the most likely preposition. Match Pairs

1. Bridge, 2. Tunnel, 3. Crowd, 4. Desert

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Across, 2-Through, 3-Through, 4-Across
Bridges and deserts are surfaces; tunnels and crowds are volumes.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

lives / she / the / street / across

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She lives across the street.
The standard order is Subject + Verb + Prepositional Phrase.
Is this rule correct? True False Rule

We use 'through' for flat surfaces like a map.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
We use 'across' for flat surfaces.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: How do I get to the bank? B: Just walk ___ the bridge and it's on your left.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: across
Bridges are surfaces you walk on.
Sort these into 'Across' or 'Through' categories. Grammar Sorting

1. A pipe, 2. A lake, 3. A window, 4. A field

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Across: 2,4 | Through: 1,3
Lakes and fields are surfaces; pipes and windows are 3D passages.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Choose the correct preposition. Completar huecos

The hikers made their way ___ the narrow canyon.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: through
Choose the correct preposition. Completar huecos

A snake was slithering ___ the grass.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: through
Which sentence is correct? Opción múltiple

Select the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He shouted across the room to get her attention.
Find and fix the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

The nail went across the piece of wood.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The nail went through the piece of wood.
Type the correct English sentence. Traducción

Translate this idea into English: 'The wind blew among the trees.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["The wind blew through the trees."]
Put the words in the correct order to form a sentence. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He swam across the pool.
Match the verb/action with the correct prepositional phrase. Match Pairs

Match the action to its most likely location:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Choose the correct preposition. Completar huecos

I'm just looking ___ the window at the people walking by.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: through
Find and fix the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

She's had to go across a lot of difficulties this year.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She's had to go through a lot of difficulties this year.
Put the words in the correct order to form a sentence. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We drove through the dark tunnel.
Which sentence implies the message was fully read? Opción múltiple

Which sentence suggests a more complete action?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I read through your email.
Type the correct English sentence. Traducción

Translate this idea into English: 'I drew a line on the paper, from one side to the other.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["I drew a line across the paper."]

Score: /12

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

Yes! If you feel like the park is a 3D space with trees and gates around you, `through` is very common. If you are just crossing it to get to the other side, `across` is also fine.

Yes, they are synonyms. `Across from` is more common in American English, while `opposite` is more common in British English.

This is a metaphorical use of `through` for time. We imagine time as a tunnel or a path that we are moving inside of from start to finish.

Yes. In the sentence 'The river is wide, I can't swim across,' `across` is an adverb because it doesn't have a noun following it.

It is an idiom meaning 'applying to everyone or everything in a group.' For example, 'The company gave a 5% raise across the board.'

Only if the bridge is enclosed (like a covered bridge or a tunnel-like structure). Otherwise, use `across`.

`Thru` is an informal, American spelling often used on road signs or in fast-food 'drive-thrus'. In formal writing, always use `through`.

`Throughout` is more emphatic and means 'in every part of' or 'during the whole time of'.

Scaffolded Practice

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In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

a través de / por

English requires a choice based on 2D/3D, while Spanish often relies on the verb choice.

French moderate

à travers / par

French speakers often struggle with 'across' as a preposition because they prefer the verb 'traverser'.

German high

über / durch

German 'über' also means 'above', which can lead to confusion with 'over'.

Japanese partial

を渡る (wo wataru) / を通る (wo tooru)

Japanese encodes the movement in the verb rather than just the preposition.

Arabic moderate

عبر (abra) / خلال (khilal)

Arabic 'abra' is more versatile and less strictly 2D/3D than English.

Chinese partial

过 (guò) / 穿过 (chuānguò)

Chinese uses verb-complements to show the nature of the movement.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Accidentally vs. Accidently: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
Next
Actividades con 'Go': Nadar, Comprar, etc. (Go + Gerundio)

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