DIRECTION 3

B Top and Bottom

On top of is a preposition.There`s a monument on top of the hill.

We can also use top and bottom in patterns like these.

When you get to the top of the hill, you turn left.Sign your name at the bottom of the page.

C Through, Across, and Along

When you go through, you go in at one end out at the other .

We talk about going through a gate, a tunnel, a forest, a hole, and so on .

The water is pumped through pipes.The burglar got in through the window.

When you go across, you go from one side to the other . We talk abut going across a road, a river, a bridge, a frontier, and so on.You can get across the channel by ferry.We use along when we follow something that goes in a line . We talk about. going along a path, a road, a cost, a corridor, and so on.We were walking along the line of the old Iron Curtain .Compare along and across in these examples.We cruised along the canal for a few miles.We Walked across the canal by a footbridge .

D To, Towards, and Up to

We use to for a destination and towards for a direction.We're going to Oxford . We're going to look around the colleges.We're going towards oxford. I think we're going the wrong way. Up to means moving to a position right in front of someone or something.A man came up to me in the street and asked for money .Lisa walked boldly up to the front door and rang the bell.

It can also mean movement to a higher level.I filled the bottle up to the top.

Note that we also use up toto talk about a maximum number.

Up to thirty people are believed to have been killed in the explosion

E Near, Close, by, and Next to

Near, near to, and close to mean not `far from`.Mother well is near Glasgow.There`s a taxi rank quite near (to) the hotel.You shouldn`t put a heater close to curtains.

Near (to) and close to have comparative and superlative forms.

We were gradually getting nearer (to) our destination.I was sitting closest to the door.

Near by and Close by mean `not far away`.We don`t serve dinner, but there is an excellent restaurant nearby/close by.

By means `at the side of ` or `very near`.We live right by the hospital.Come and sit by me .

Next to means `directly at the side of `.The woman sitting next to me was smoking the whole time .There`s a newsagent next to the post office.

Nowhere near means `a long way from`. Birmingham is nowhere near Glasgow.

F In front of , Before, Behind, After, and Opposite

When we are talking about position, we prefer in front of to before.There`s a statue in front of the museum. Tina spends hours in front of the mirror.

We prefer behind to after .The car behind us ran into the back of us.

Before usually means ` earlier in time`, and after means `later in time` . But we also use before and after to talk about what order things come in. J comes before K. K comes after J.

Opposite means `on the other side from`. Compare in front of and opposite.Simon was sitting in front of me in the cinema.Simon was sitting opposite me at lunch.

G Between and Among

We use between with a small number of thing, especially with two things.The bungalow is between two houses.(= There is house on both sides of the bungalow )The ball went between the player`s legs.It`s an area of countryside between three quite large towns.Among suggests a larger number.I thought I caught sight of someone among the trees.

H Around and About

Around or round means movement in a circle. We can also use it to means `in different direction` or `in different place`.We just like driving around/round the country visiting different places.There were piles of old magazines lying around/round the flat.Americans use round rather than around. We can use about in the same way.Everyone was rushing around / about the place in a panic.