Cool MateAcross vs Across the hall
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Across
Top 1,000 (very common)A1preposition
Across the hall
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Across
| Across | Across the hall | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈkrɒs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈkrɔːs/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //əˈkrɒs ðə hɔːl//🇺🇸 //əˈkrɔs ðə hɔl// |
| Meaning | From one side to the other side. | On the other side of the hallway. |
| Example | We walked across the bridge to get to the other side. | My friend lives just across the hall from me. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | preposition | |
| Collocations | walk across, run across, look across, spread across, travel across | live across the hall, go across the hall, sit across the hall |
| Antonyms | behind, away, close | in the same room, next door, right here |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'on' for location., Using 'across' without an object., Mixing up 'across' and 'through'. | Using 'across the hall' for outdoor spaces., Confusing with 'down the hall', which indicates a different direction. |
| Usage notes | Used to describe movement from one side to another. It's appropriate in both written and spoken contexts. Avoid using 'across' in very formal writing where other prepositions may be preferred. | Used to indicate a location nearby, often in a building. Appropriate in most settings, but avoid in very formal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Across vs Across the hall
What's the difference between Across and Across the hall?
Across: From one side to the other side. Across the hall: On the other side of the hallway.
Which is more common: Across and Across the hall?
Across is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Across: We walked across the bridge to get to the other side. Across the hall: My friend lives just across the hall from me.
Can I use Across and Across the hall interchangeably?
Not always. Across and Across the hall are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.