Sentence Examples Using the Preposition “Across”
Understanding how to use prepositions correctly is crucial for clear and effective communication in English. The preposition “across” is particularly versatile, expressing various relationships involving movement, location, and opposition. Mastering its usage can significantly enhance your ability to describe spatial relations and abstract connections. This article provides a comprehensive guide to using “across,” complete with numerous examples, rules, and practice exercises. This guide will benefit English language learners, students, and anyone aiming to improve their grasp of English grammar.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of “Across”
- Structural Breakdown
- Types and Categories of “Across” Usage
- Examples of “Across” in Sentences
- Usage Rules for “Across”
- Common Mistakes Using “Across”
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Conclusion
Introduction
Prepositions are fundamental elements of English grammar, essential for establishing relationships between words in a sentence. They provide crucial context by indicating location, direction, time, and other connections. “Across” is a preposition that conveys a variety of meanings, primarily related to movement from one side to another, location on opposite sides, or opposition. This article delves into the intricacies of “across,” offering a detailed exploration of its definition, structural usage, various types, and common errors to avoid. By understanding the nuances of “across,” you can enhance your writing and speaking skills, ensuring clarity and precision in your communication.
Definition of “Across”
The preposition “across” primarily indicates movement from one side to the other of something. It can also denote a position on the opposite side of something or an extension from one side to the other. Linguistically, “across” functions as a preposition, meaning it connects a noun or pronoun (its object) to other words in the sentence, establishing a relationship between them. It can also function as an adverb in certain contexts.
Consider these key aspects of the definition:
- Movement: Implying motion from one point to another, traversing a space or object.
- Location: Indicating a position on the opposite side of something.
- Extension: Describing something that stretches or spans from one side to another.
The versatility of “across” makes it a common and valuable preposition in English. Its ability to convey both spatial and abstract relationships contributes to its widespread use in various contexts.
Structural Breakdown
Understanding the structure of sentences using “across” involves recognizing its role as a preposition. A typical sentence structure involving “across” follows this pattern:
Subject + Verb + Across + Object
Here’s a breakdown of each component:
- Subject: The noun or pronoun performing the action.
- Verb: The action being performed.
- Across: The preposition connecting the verb to the object.
- Object: The noun or pronoun that “across” relates to the subject and verb.
For example, in the sentence “The cat jumped across the fence,” the subject is “the cat,” the verb is “jumped,” the preposition is “across,” and the object is “the fence.” This structure illustrates how “across” establishes a spatial relationship between the cat’s action (jumping) and the fence.
Another common structure involves “across” being used as an adverb:
Subject + Verb + Adverb (Across)
In this case, “across” modifies the verb, indicating the direction of the action. For example, in the sentence “The message came across clearly,” “across” functions as an adverb modifying the verb phrase “came across,” indicating how the message was received.
Types and Categories of “Across” Usage
The preposition “across” has several distinct usages, each conveying a slightly different meaning. Understanding these categories is essential for using “across” accurately and effectively.
Across Indicating Movement
This is the most common use of “across.” It describes the action of moving from one side of something to the other. This movement can be literal, such as crossing a street, or figurative, such as transferring information.
Across Indicating Location
In this usage, “across” indicates a position on the opposite side of something. It describes where something is situated in relation to another object or location.
Across Indicating Opposition
“Across” can also denote opposition or conflict. This usage is less common but still important to recognize. It implies a contrasting or conflicting relationship between two entities.
Across Indicating Spanning
This usage describes something that extends or stretches from one side to another. It emphasizes the extent or reach of something over a particular area or time.
Examples of “Across” in Sentences
To illustrate the different usages of “across,” here are several examples categorized by their function:
Movement Examples
The following table provides examples of “across” used to indicate movement.
| Sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|
| The children ran across the playground. | Describes the children moving from one side of the playground to the other. |
| She walked across the street. | Indicates movement from one side of the street to the other. |
| The bridge extends across the river. | Illustrates the bridge’s movement (or extension) over the river. |
| He swam across the lake. | Describes the act of swimming from one side of the lake to the other. |
| The bird flew across the sky. | Indicates the bird’s movement through the sky. |
| The news spread across the country. | Describes how the news moved from one region to another. |
| I threw the ball across the field. | Indicates the ball’s movement over the field. |
| They marched across the border. | Describes the act of marching from one side of the border to the other. |
| The spider crawled across the ceiling. | Indicates the spider’s movement along the ceiling. |
| The light shone across the room. | Describes how the light moved through the room. |
| We sailed across the ocean. | Indicates the act of sailing from one side of the ocean to the other. |
| The train traveled across the country. | Describes the train’s journey from one region to another. |
| She skipped across the garden. | Indicates the act of skipping from one part of the garden to another. |
| The shadows moved across the wall. | Describes the movement of shadows on the wall. |
| The sound echoed across the valley. | Indicates how the sound traveled through the valley. |
| He stretched across the bed. | Describes the act of stretching from one side of the bed to the other. |
| The wire ran across the yard. | Indicates how the wire extended from one side of the yard to the other. |
| The fog rolled across the hills. | Describes the movement of fog over the hills. |
| The dancers glided across the stage. | Indicates the dancers’ movement on the stage. |
| The rumors spread across the office. | Describes how the rumors circulated within the office. |
| The river flows across the plain. | Indicates the river’s movement across the plain. |
| The plane flew across the Atlantic. | Describes the plane’s journey over the Atlantic. |
| The vine climbed across the wall. | Indicates the vine’s movement up and over the wall. |
| The sunlight streamed across the floor. | Describes how sunlight moved across the floor. |
| The army advanced across the battlefield. | Indicates the army’s movement over the battlefield. |
Location Examples
The following table illustrates the use of “across” to indicate a specific location.
| Sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|
| The bank is across the street from the library. | Indicates the bank’s location relative to the library. |
| Their house is across the river. | Describes the house’s location on the opposite side of the river. |
| There’s a park across from my apartment. | Indicates the park’s location relative to the apartment. |
| The school is just across the road. | Describes the school’s location relative to the road. |
| We live across the hall from each other. | Indicates the location of the apartments in relation to each other. |
| The store is across the square. | Describes the store’s location relative to the square. |
| The beach is across the dunes. | Indicates the beach’s location relative to the dunes. |
| The mountains are across the valley. | Describes the mountains’ location relative to the valley. |
| The island is across the bay. | Indicates the island’s location relative to the bay. |
| The garden is across the courtyard. | Describes the garden’s location relative to the courtyard. |
| The cafe is across from the museum. | Indicates the cafe’s location relative to the museum. |
| The forest is across the field. | Describes the forest’s location relative to the field. |
| Their office is across the campus. | Indicates the office’s location relative to the campus. |
| The stadium is across the city. | Describes the stadium’s location relative to the city. |
| The lake is across the plains. | Indicates the lake’s location relative to the plains. |
| The gallery is across from the theater. | Describes the gallery’s location relative to the theater. |
| The vineyard is across the hill. | Indicates the vineyard’s location relative to the hill. |
| The factory is across the railway. | Describes the factory’s location relative to the railway. |
| The church is across the park. | Indicates the church’s location relative to the park. |
| The campsite is across the river. | Describes the campsite’s location relative to the river. |
| The library is across the parking lot. | Indicates the library’s location relative to the parking lot. |
| The bakery is across the town square. | Describes the bakery’s location relative to the town square. |
| The clinic is across from the school. | Indicates the clinic’s location relative to the school. |
| The market is across the bridge. | Describes the market’s location relative to the bridge. |
| The post office is across the intersection. | Indicates the post office’s location relative to the intersection. |
Opposition Examples
This table provides examples of “across” used to indicate opposition or conflict.
| Sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|
| The parties are across each other on the issue. | Indicates that the parties have opposing views on the issue. |
| They are across the idea of raising taxes. | Describes their opposition to the idea of raising taxes. |
| The teams were across from each other during the debate. | Indicates that the teams had opposing arguments during the debate. |
| The two companies are across each other in the market. | Describes the competitive relationship between the companies. |
| The siblings are across each other about the inheritance. | Indicates a disagreement or conflict between the siblings. |
| The voters are across the proposed law. | Describes the voters’ opposition to the proposed law. |
| The unions are across the management on the new contract. | Indicates a disagreement between the unions and management. |
| The neighbors are across each other about the fence. | Describes a conflict between the neighbors regarding the fence. |
| The countries are across each other on trade policies. | Indicates opposing views on trade policies between the countries. |
| The critics were across the new movie. | Describes the critics’ negative opinion of the new movie. |
| The scientists are across each other on the research findings. | Indicates disagreement among the scientists about the research. |
| The politicians are across the proposed budget. | Describes the politicians’ opposition to the proposed budget. |
| The residents are across the development project. | Indicates the residents’ opposition to the development project. |
| The students are across the new grading system. | Describes the students’ opposition to the new grading system. |
| The activists are across the environmental policy. | Indicates the activists’ opposition to the environmental policy. |
| The board members are across the merger proposal. | Describes the board members’ opposition to the merger. |
| The community is across the construction project. | Indicates the community’s opposition to the construction. |
| The employees are across the wage cuts. | Describes the employees’ opposition to the wage cuts. |
| The shareholders are across the new business strategy. | Indicates the shareholders’ opposition to the business strategy. |
| The audience was across the controversial play. | Describes the audience’s negative reaction to the play. |
Spanning Examples
The following table provides examples of “across” used to indicate spanning or extension.
| Sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|
| The banner stretched across the entire building. | Indicates that the banner covered the building from one side to the other. |
| The company has branches across the country. | Describes the company’s presence throughout the country. |
| Her influence extends across many departments. | Indicates the reach of her influence over various departments. |
| The investigation spanned across several years. | Describes the duration of the investigation over a period of years. |
| The project involved teams across different continents. | Indicates the participation of teams from various continents. |
| The research covered topics across multiple disciplines. | Describes the breadth of the research, encompassing several disciplines. |
| The festival celebrated cultures across the globe. | Indicates the festival’s celebration of cultures from around the world. |
| The disease spread across the population. | Describes the widespread occurrence of the disease among the population. |
| The power outage affected areas across the state. | Indicates the widespread impact of the power outage. |
| The agreement applies across all divisions of the company. | Describes the agreement’s applicability to all parts of the company. |
| The program offers support across various aspects of life. | Indicates the program’s comprehensive support for different life areas. |
| The exhibition showcased art from across different eras. | Describes the exhibition’s display of art from various time periods. |
| The study analyzed data from across different regions. | Indicates the study’s use of data from various geographic areas. |
| The curriculum includes subjects across multiple fields. | Describes the curriculum’s breadth, encompassing various fields. |
| The campaign reached audiences across different demographics. | Indicates the campaign’s broad reach to various demographic groups. |
| The tradition is observed across many generations. | Describes the tradition’s continuity over time. |
| The movement gained support across different communities. | Indicates the widespread support for the movement. |
| The network connects people across the world. | Describes the network’s global reach. |
| The policy applies across the entire organization. | Indicates the policy’s applicability to all parts of the organization. |
| The course covers skills across various industries. | Describes the course’s relevance to different industries. |
Usage Rules for “Across”
Using “across” correctly involves understanding certain rules and nuances. Here are some key guidelines:
- Movement vs. Location: Be mindful of whether you are describing movement or a static location. For movement, use “across” to indicate traversing something. For location, use “across” to indicate being situated on the opposite side.
- “Across” vs. “Cross”: “Across” is a preposition or adverb, while “cross” is a verb or noun. For example, “I walked across the road” (preposition) vs. “I will cross the road” (verb).
- “Across from” vs. “Opposite”: These are often interchangeable when indicating location. “The store is across from the bank” is similar to “The store is opposite the bank.”
- Formal vs. Informal: “Across” is generally acceptable in both formal and informal contexts.
Understanding these rules will help you use “across” accurately and effectively in your writing and speaking.
Common Mistakes Using “Across”
Even with a good understanding of the rules, it’s easy to make mistakes when using “across.” Here are some common errors and how to correct them:
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| I go cross the street. | I go across the street. | “Cross” is a verb; “across” is the correct preposition here. |
| The house it’s opposite the park. | The house is across from the park. | While “opposite” can be used, “across from” is more common in this context. |
| She throw the ball cross the field. | She threw the ball across the field. | Correct verb tense and use “across” as the preposition. |
| He lives across of the river. | He lives across the river. | The preposition “of” is unnecessary after “across.” |
| They are agree across the proposal. | They are across the proposal. | This sentence is grammatically problematic. A better phrasing would be “They disagree about/with the proposal.” |
By being aware of these common mistakes, you can avoid them in your own writing and speaking.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding of “across” with these practice exercises.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks with the correct use of “across.”
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. The cat jumped ______ the table. | across |
| 2. The store is ______ the street from my house. | across |
| 3. The bridge stretches ______ the river. | across |
| 4. They are ______ each other on this issue. | across |
| 5. The news spread ______ the country. | across |
| 6. The banner extended ______ the building. | across |
| 7. She walked ______ the room. | across |
| 8. The garden is ______ the yard. | across |
| 9. The children ran ______ the field. | across |
| 10. The wire ran ______ the ceiling. | across |
Exercise 2: Correct the Sentences
Correct the following sentences that incorrectly use “across.”
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. I go cross the park. | I go across the park. |
| 2. The shop is opposite of the road. | The shop is across from the road. |
| 3. He throwed the ball cross the field. | He threw the ball across the field. |
| 4. She lives across of the street. | She lives across the street. |
| 5. They are agree cross the proposal. | They are across the proposal. |
| 6. The road run cross the mountain. | The road runs across the mountain. |
| 7. The river is cross of the city. | The river is across the city. |
| 8. The line stretches cross the page. | The line stretches across the page. |
| 9. The building is cross the street. | The building is across the street. |
| 10. The message came cross unclear. | The message came across unclearly. |
Exercise 3: Sentence Completion
Complete the following sentences using “across” and an appropriate phrase.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. The cat quickly darted ______ . | The cat quickly darted across the road. |
| 2. The protesters marched ______ . | The protesters marched across the city. |
| 3. The old bridge swayed precariously ______ . | The old bridge swayed precariously across the ravine. |
| 4. The rumor spread like wildfire ______ . | The rumor spread like wildfire across the office. |
| 5. The new regulations apply ______ . | The new regulations apply across all departments. |
| 6. The artist painted a mural ______ . | The artist painted a mural across the wall. |
| 7. The athlete sprinted ______ . | The athlete sprinted across the finish line. |
| 8. The explorer journeyed ______ . | The explorer journeyed across the desert. |
| 9. The children skipped happily ______ . | The children skipped happily across the field. |
| 10. The company expanded its operations ______ . | The company expanded its operations across the globe. |
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, understanding idiomatic expressions and nuanced usages of “across” is essential. Here are some advanced topics to consider:
- “Come Across”: This phrasal verb means to find something unexpectedly. Example: “I came across an old photo album in the attic.“
- “Get Across”: This means to communicate something effectively. Example: “I tried to get my point across, but they didn’t understand.“
- Figurative Language: “Across” can be used in metaphors and similes to describe abstract relationships. Example: “Her smile shone across the room like sunshine.“
Exploring these advanced topics will deepen your understanding and mastery of “across.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some frequently asked questions about using the preposition “across”:
- What is the primary function of the preposition “across”?
The primary function of “across” is to indicate movement from one side to the other of something. It can also denote a position on the opposite side or an extension from one side to the other.
- How does “across” differ from “cross”?
“Across” is a preposition or adverb, while “cross” is a verb or noun. For example, “I walked across the road” uses “across” as a preposition, whereas “I will cross the road” uses “cross” as a verb.
- Can “across from” and “opposite” be used interchangeably?
Yes, “across from” and “opposite” are often interchangeable when indicating location. For instance, “The store is across from the bank” is similar in meaning to “The store is opposite the bank.”
- Is “across” suitable for both formal and informal writing?
Yes, “across” is generally acceptable in both formal and informal contexts. It is a versatile preposition that is widely used in various types of communication.
- What are some common mistakes to avoid when using “across”?
Some common mistakes include using “cross” instead of “across” as a preposition, adding the unnecessary preposition “of” after “across,” and misusing the verb tense when describing movement.
- What does the phrasal verb “come across” mean?
The phrasal verb “come across” means to find something unexpectedly. For example, “I came across an old photo album in the attic.“
- How can “across” be used in figurative language?
“Across” can be used in metaphors and similes to describe abstract relationships. For example, “Her smile shone across the room like sunshine” uses “across” to convey the reach and impact of her smile.
- How do I know when to use ‘across’ versus ‘through’?
‘Across’ generally implies movement or extension on the surface of something or from one side to the other. ‘Through,’ on the other hand, implies movement or extension within something, entering and exiting. For instance, you walk ‘across’ a bridge, but you walk ‘through’ a tunnel.
Conclusion
Mastering the preposition “across” is crucial for improving your English grammar and communication skills. This article has provided a comprehensive overview of its definition, structural usage, various types, common mistakes, and advanced topics. By understanding these aspects, you can use “across” accurately and effectively in your writing and speaking. Remember to practice regularly and pay attention to how native speakers use “across” in different contexts. Consistent effort will help you internalize these rules and enhance your overall fluency in English.
