across
The word “across” is often used as a preposition for location. The word “from” is often used with “across.” Sometimes, “across is used as an adverb.
- There’s a flower shop across the street. (preposition)
- Across from the flower shop, there’s a restaurant. (preposition)
- How can we get our message across? (adverb)
across = opposite
- Traffic lights allow pedestrians to walk across the street safely.
- I need to get across the street.
- She’ walking across the street.
- There’s a library across the street.
- Don’t go across the street here! There’s too much traffic.
- To get across the street, he uses a crosswalk.
- He made it across safely. (In this sentence, “across” is functioning as an adverb for the verb “make.”)
across from = opposite
- The post office is across the street from the library.
- Across from the library is the post office.
- Across the Mississippi River from Minnesota is Wisconsin.
- Across the English Channel from England is France.
- The two countries are across from each other.
- Sue and Edwina live across from each other in the apartment building.
- Living across from us is a very nice couple from Ghana. They live across the street from us.
- Sitting across from Bill is Joe.
- They are sitting across from each other.
across = in many places
- There are new rules for all employees across the company.
- Police scattered across the state are looking for an escaped convict.
- Temperatures across the world continue to break records.
- Climate change is having effects across the planet.
- Across the country, people are concerned about the fate of democracy.
- Students across the campus are protesting.
- Covid spread across the county very quickly. (A county is an organization of towns and cities within a region. It functions as a single political unit.)
- The Statue of Liberty is recognized across the world as a symbol of freedom and democracy.
across = communicate
- We are trying to get our message across. (In this sentence, “across” is an adverb for the verb “get.”)
- We want to get across to the voters our message.
- He’s trying to get something across to you.
- I need to get this across to you.
- He has a hard time getting his ideas across to the teacher.
Notice that the verb “get” is usually used with “across” in these examples.
- They’re trying to get their message across by marching in the street.
