Across vs Through

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Across

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 preposition

Through

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 preposition

	Across	Through
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/əˈkrɒs/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/əˈkrɔːs/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/θruː/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/θruː/"]/
Meaning	From one side to the other side.	In one side and out the other.
Example	We walked across the bridge to get to the other side.	We walked through the park in the evening.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	A1
Part of speech	preposition	preposition
Collocations	walk across, run across, look across, spread across, travel across	go through, pass through, look through, see through, read through
Antonyms	behind, away, close	around, stopping
Common mistakes	Confused with 'on' for location., Using 'across' without an object., Mixing up 'across' and 'through'.	Confused with 'threw' (the past tense of throw)., Using 'through' instead of 'to' in directions., Saying 'pass through' when 'pass by' is more appropriate.
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.	Use 'through' to indicate movement from one side to another. Common with tunnels, paths, and processes. Avoid using it for non-physical experiences.

See it in real clips

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Yeah, that man lives in fear I'll go across town...

And don't forget the lady across the street.

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

It shouldn't come across as some news flash.

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Yeah, that man lives in fear I'll go across town...

And don't forget the lady across the street.

Across

Frequently asked questions: Across vs Through

What's the difference between Across and Through?

Across: From one side to the other side. Through: In one side and out the other.

Are Across and Through the same CEFR level?

Across: A1, Through: A1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Across and Through?

Across: preposition, Through: preposition.

Can you show an example of each?

Across: We walked across the bridge to get to the other side. Through: We walked through the park in the evening.

Can I use Across and Through interchangeably?

Not always. Across and Through 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.