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.'
Overview
across와 through는 한국어로 번역했을 때 둘 다 '~을 가로질러', '~을 지나서', '~을 통해' 등으로 비슷하게 해석되는 경우가 많아 특히 혼란을 줍니다. 하지만 원어민의 머릿속에서 이 두 단어는 완전히 다른 '공간적 이미지'를 가지고 있습니다.across는 '2차원적인 평면'을 한쪽 끝에서 다른 쪽 끝으로 이동하는 느낌이고, through는 '3차원적인 공간'의 내부를 뚫고 지나가는 느낌입니다. 이번 강의에서는 한국인 학습자가 흔히 겪는 언어적 간섭 현상을 바탕으로, 이 두 전치사의 미묘한 차이를 완벽하게 파헤쳐 보겠습니다. 자, 이제 시작해 볼까요?across와 through는 모두 이동의 경로를 나타내는 전치사입니다. 하지만 영어가 공간을 바라보는 방식은 한국어와 조금 다릅니다. 한국어에서는 '강을 건너다', '공원을 가로지르다'처럼 동사 자체에 방향성이 포함되는 경우가 많지만, 영어는 walk, run, drive 같은 일반적인 동사 뒤에 전치사를 붙여 공간의 성격을 규정합니다.across의 핵심은 '표면(surface)'입니다. 넓게 펼쳐진 평면 위를 한쪽에서 반대편으로 가로지르는 상황을 상상해 보세요. 이때 이동하는 공간은 탁 트여 있거나, 적어도 우리가 그 내부로 들어간다는 느낌이 없는 2차원적인 장소입니다.- 평면 이동:
walk across the street(길을 건너다),swim across the river(강을 헤엄쳐 건너다) - 반대편 위치:
The cafe is across the street.(카페가 길 건너편에 있다) - 확장과 분포:
The news spread across the country.(뉴스가 전국으로 퍼졌다)
through의 핵심은 '공간(volume)'과 '장애물'입니다. 사방이 막혀 있거나, 나무나 사람들처럼 무언가로 가득 찬 3차원적 공간의 한가운데를 뚫고 지나갈 때 사용합니다. '입구'로 들어가서 '출구'로 나오는 이미지를 떠올리면 쉽습니다.- 입체 공간 통과:
drive through a tunnel(터널을 운전해 지나가다),walk through a forest(숲을 지나가다) - 장애물 사이 통과:
push through the crowd(인파를 헤치고 나아가다) - 매개체나 수단:
see through the window(창문을 통해 보다)
walk across the park라고 하면 공원의 잔디밭 위(평면)를 가로지르는 느낌이고, walk through the park라고 하면 공원의 나무와 시설물 사이(입체 공간)를 통과해 가는 느낌을 줍니다. 이처럼 전치사 하나가 문장 전체의 그림을 바꿉니다.across와 through는 전치사로서 주로 이동 동사 뒤에 위치하여 목적어(명사구)를 취합니다. 구조는 매우 단순하지만, 함께 쓰이는 명사의 성격에 따라 선택이 달라집니다.He ran across the bridge. | 다리라는 표면 위를 끝에서 끝으로 이동 |He ran through the tunnel. | 터널이라는 3차원 공간 내부를 통과 |- 이동 동사와의 결합:
go,walk,run,drive,fly,swim,sail등 The bird flew across the lake.(호수 위 평면을 가로지름)The bird flew through the trees.(나무들 사이 입체 공간을 통과)- 인식 동사와의 결합:
look,see,peer,stare등 look across the room(방 저편 끝을 바라봄)look through the telescope(망원경 내부를 통해 바라봄)- 상태 동사와의 결합:
be,lie,sit등 (위치를 나타낼 때) The shop is across the road.(길 건너편에 위치)The path goes through the valley.(길이 계곡 내부를 관통함)
- 길, 강, 다리를 건널 때: 가장 전형적인 사용법입니다. 장애물이 없는 평평한 표면을 가로지를 때 씁니다.
We walked across the bridge to get to the station.(역에 가기 위해 다리를 건넜습니다.)- 반대편에 있는 대상을 지칭할 때: '건너편'이라는 의미의
opposite과 유사하게 쓰입니다. My office is across the hallway.(제 사무실은 복도 건너편에 있습니다.)- 전체 지역에 퍼져 있을 때: 어떤 현상이 넓은 지역 전체에 걸쳐 일어날 때 씁니다.
The company has stores across Asia.(그 회사는 아시아 전역에 매장을 가지고 있습니다.)
- 숲, 터널, 문을 통과할 때: 무언가에 둘러싸인 채로 이동할 때 씁니다.
The train goes through several tunnels.(기차는 여러 개의 터널을 통과합니다.)- 인파나 장애물을 헤치고 나갈 때: 주변에 물체가 많아 그 사이를 비집고 나가는 느낌입니다.
It was hard to walk through the busy market.(붐비는 시장통을 지나가기가 힘들었습니다.)- 시간의 흐름을 나타낼 때: 시작부터 끝까지 내내 무언가를 할 때 씁니다.
I slept through the entire movie.(영화 상영 내내 잤습니다.)- 수단이나 경로를 나타낼 때: 어떤 매개체를 이용할 때 씁니다.
I found this job through a friend.(친구를 통해 이 직장을 구했습니다.)
walk across the desert: 사막을 하나의 거대한 '지도상의 평면'으로 보고 횡단하는 느낌.walk through the desert: 사막의 뜨거운 공기, 모래 폭풍, 모래 언덕 '내부'에서 고생하며 지나가는 느낌.
cross vs acrossacross는 전치사이지 동사가 아닙니다.- 틀린 표현:
I acrossed the road.(X) - 옳은 표현:
I crossed the road.(동사 사용) 또는I walked across the road.(동사+전치사 사용) - 이유: 한국어의 '건너다'는 동사 하나로 끝나지만, 영어에서는 동사(
cross)를 쓰거나, 이동 방식(walk)과 경로(across)를 나누어 써야 합니다.
across 사용하기go across the tunnel이라고 말하는 실수를 자주 합니다.- 틀린 표현:
The car went across the tunnel.(X) - 옳은 표현:
The car went through the tunnel.(O) - 이유: 터널은 천장과 벽이 있는 3차원 공간입니다. 원어민에게
across the tunnel이라고 하면 터널 '내부'가 아니라 터널 '지붕 위'를 가로질러 가는 이상한 그림을 떠올리게 됩니다.
through로만 번역하기through the internet도 가능하지만, 상황에 따라 on the internet이나 via가 더 자연스러울 때가 많습니다. 특히 through는 '물리적 통과'의 이미지가 강하므로 추상적인 수단에서는 주의가 필요합니다.- 참고:
through는 고생이나 과정을 겪어내는 느낌(go through a hard time)이 강하다는 것을 기억하세요.
across와 through 외에도 혼동하기 쉬운 전치사들을 비교해 보겠습니다.Across는 표면을 따라가는 느낌인 반면, Over는 장애물을 위로 훌쩍 넘거나(high clearance) 위를 덮고 있는 느낌입니다. |Through는 내부를 관통하지만, Past는 대상의 옆을 스쳐 지나가는 것입니다. (예: walk past the bank) |Across는 가로지르는 방향(횡단)이지만, Along은 선을 따라 평행하게 가는 방향(종단)입니다. |Through보다 좀 더 격식 있거나 기술적인 경로(지점 경유)를 나타낼 때 씁니다. |The dog jumped over the fence.(울타리 위를 뛰어넘음 - 높이 개념)The dog ran across the yard.(마당을 가로질러 달림 - 평면 개념)
I walked through the library.(도서관 안으로 들어가서 반대편 문으로 나옴)I walked past the library.(도서관 건물 옆을 그냥 지나쳐 감)
across와 through 둘 다 쓸 수 있나요?walk across the park는 공원을 최단 거리로 가로질러 반대편으로 가려는 목적이 강할 때(평면적 접근) 쓰고, walk through the park는 공원의 나무, 벤치, 사람들 사이를 지나가며 공원이라는 공간 자체를 경험하는 느낌(입체적 접근)이 강합니다.through를 쓰나요?Monday through Friday는 월요일 시작점부터 금요일 끝점까지 그 시간의 터널을 '통과'한다는 개념입니다. 한국어의 '~부터 ~까지'와 비슷하지만, 금요일을 '포함'한다는 의미가 매우 명확해집니다.Go across와 Cross의 차이는 무엇인가요?cross는 그 자체로 '건너다'라는 동사이고, go across는 '가다'라는 동사와 '가로질러'라는 전치사가 합쳐진 구문입니다. 일상 대화에서는 cross the street를 더 자주 사용하지만, 어떻게 건너는지(예: run across, crawl across)를 강조하고 싶을 때는 [동사 + across] 패턴을 씁니다.wipe across인가요, wipe through인가요?wipe across the window가 맞습니다. wipe through라고 하면 마치 유리를 뚫고 지나가는 공포 영화 같은 장면이 연상될 수 있으니 주의하세요!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.
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.”
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.”
Across: Position
On the opposite side of something.
“The pharmacy is just across the road.”
“She sat across from me at dinner.”
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
| 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.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
The pedestrians traversed across the municipal park. (Daily life)
They walked across the park. (Daily life)
They cut across the park. (Daily life)
They headed across the park. (Daily life)
2D vs 3D Movement
Which one should I use?
Is it a flat surface?
Are you inside it?
수준별 예문
I walk across the road.
The cat goes through the window.
He lives across the street.
We go through the park.
She ran across the bridge to catch the bus.
The bird flew through the open door.
They walked across the big field.
I can't see through these dirty glasses.
We sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in three weeks.
The sunlight shone through the leaves of the trees.
I found this old photo while looking through a drawer.
News of the accident spread quickly across the town.
The company has offices scattered across the country.
He managed to get through the exam despite being ill.
The bullet passed through the wooden plank.
She stared across the room at her rival.
The virus spread across the population with alarming speed.
I've been through a lot of emotional turmoil lately.
The architect designed a path that cuts across the courtyard.
He spoke through an interpreter during the summit.
The theme of redemption resonates across his entire body of work.
We must see this initiative through to its logical conclusion.
The signal was transmitted across a series of relay stations.
She navigated through the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the ministry.
혼동하기 쉬운
Both can mean moving to the other side of a road or river.
Learners use 'through' when they mean following a path.
Learners forget the 'from' when describing location.
자주 하는 실수
I go across the door.
I go through the door.
The car goes through the bridge.
The car goes across the bridge.
I walk through the street.
I walk across the street.
He is through the room.
He is across the room.
We walked across the woods.
We walked through the woods.
The bird flew across the window.
The bird flew through the window.
I looked across the keyhole.
I looked through the keyhole.
I slept across the meeting.
I slept through the meeting.
The news went through the country.
The news went across the country.
He pushed across the crowd.
He pushed through the crowd.
The idea spread through the board.
The idea spread across the board.
문장 패턴
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
Drive across the bridge and then go through the tunnel.
I was scrolling through my Instagram feed.
I have worked with teams across different time zones.
We backpacked through Europe last summer.
Let's walk through the project requirements.
I'm halfway through the movie, call u later!
The Paper vs. Box Test
Avoid 'Acrosst'
Through for Time
Across from vs Opposite
Smart Tips
Check if you are 'on top' of the thing (Across) or 'inside' the thing (Through).
Always use 'across from' if you are describing where a building is.
Use 'through' because you are moving from the first page to the last page (a volume of work).
Use 'across' to show distribution, like a blanket covering a bed.
발음
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').
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.
암기하기
기억법
Across is for an Area (flat); Through is for a Tunnel (3D).
시각적 연상
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
챌린지
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.
문화 노트
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.
대화 시작하기
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.
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
The hikers walked ___ the thick forest for three hours.
He drew a line ___ the middle of the page.
Find and fix the mistake:
The train passed across the tunnel at high speed.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
lives / she / the / street / across
We use 'through' for flat surfaces like a map.
A: How do I get to the bank? B: Just walk ___ the bridge and it's on your left.
1. A pipe, 2. A lake, 3. A window, 4. A field
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercisesThe hikers walked ___ the thick forest for three hours.
He drew a line ___ the middle of the page.
Find and fix the mistake:
The train passed across the tunnel at high speed.
1. Bridge, 2. Tunnel, 3. Crowd, 4. Desert
lives / she / the / street / across
We use 'through' for flat surfaces like a map.
A: How do I get to the bank? B: Just walk ___ the bridge and it's on your left.
1. A pipe, 2. A lake, 3. A window, 4. A field
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe hikers made their way ___ the narrow canyon.
A snake was slithering ___ the grass.
Select the correct sentence:
The nail went across the piece of wood.
Translate this idea into English: 'The wind blew among the trees.'
Arrange these words:
Match the action to its most likely location:
I'm just looking ___ the window at the people walking by.
She's had to go across a lot of difficulties this year.
Arrange these words:
Which sentence suggests a more complete action?
Translate this idea into English: 'I drew a line on the paper, from one side to the other.'
Score: /12
자주 묻는 질문 (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
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
a través de / por
English requires a choice based on 2D/3D, while Spanish often relies on the verb choice.
à travers / par
French speakers often struggle with 'across' as a preposition because they prefer the verb 'traverser'.
über / durch
German 'über' also means 'above', which can lead to confusion with 'over'.
を渡る (wo wataru) / を通る (wo tooru)
Japanese encodes the movement in the verb rather than just the preposition.
عبر (abra) / خلال (khilal)
Arabic 'abra' is more versatile and less strictly 2D/3D than English.
过 (guò) / 穿过 (chuānguò)
Chinese uses verb-complements to show the nature of the movement.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
관련 동영상
Related Grammar Rules
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Nowadays vs. Now-a-days: 차이점은 무엇인가요?
### Overview 언어는 살아있는 생명체와 같아서 시간이 흐르면서 그 형태와 쓰임새가 끊임없이 변하곤 합니다. 오늘 우리가 함...
Let them vs. Let they: 차이점이 무엇인가요?
### Overview 영어 학습을 하다 보면 `let them`과 `let they` 중 어떤 것이 맞는지 헷갈릴 때가 있습니다. 결론부터 말씀드리...
Quite vs. Quiet: 차이점이 무엇인가요?
### Overview 영어 학습의 여정에서 우리 한국인 학습자들을 가장 당혹스럽게 만드는 것 중 하나는 바로 '비슷하게 생겼지만 완...
Said vs. Told: 차이점이 무엇인가요?
### Overview 영어를 배우는 한국인 학습자들에게 `say`와 `tell`은 마치 '숙명적인 라이벌'과 같습니다. 우리말로는 둘 다 단...
