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Pructus Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Along and other prepositions

Hello....

There seems to be a difference between “along” and other prepositions.
I am not sure but some people seem to be saying so.
So I made it into a table.

I’d like to be advised if this is to the natives’s sense.








motion or movement

1

He walked along the bank.

?

finished

2

He walked along.

?

not finished

3

He walked across the bank.

?

not finished

4

He walked across.

?

finished

5

He walked over the bank.

?

not finished

6

He walked over.

?

finished

7

He walked through the bank.

?

not finished

8

He walked through.

?

finished
  

Top answer

He walked along the bank. If you mean the bank of a river, then I would expect that the action is not completed. He walked along.

— AlpheccaStars

  • He walked along the bank.
  • If you mean the bank of a river, then I would expect that the action is not completed.
  • He walked along.
  • The sentence is barely complete.
  • It needs context.
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10 Answers
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He walked along the bank. If you mean the bank of a river, then I would expect that the action is not completed.
He walked along. The sentence is barely complete. It needs context.

He walked across the bank. If you mean the bank of a river (like a man-made dike), then I would expect that the action is completed. He walked from the edge of the river, up the river bank to the top, a
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Oh, I see... I see....
A lot different from what I thought...
Thanks so much, AlpheccaStars!!
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pructusa difference between “along” and other prepositions
That's true to some extent, particularly in some of your examples.

To walk along [a river bank / the street / the edge of a cliff / ...] describes motion (walking) as an on-going activity. "Not finished", as you say.

"Unfinished" is associated with a "for" phrase showi
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I see... I see....
Thanks so much, CJ!!

And by the way...
To more fully understand...

If He walked across the bridge for two minutes. is awkward, how can we say the meaning which is intended with this sentence?

The intended meaning will be: He walked crossing the bridge for two minutes, but didn't completely cross the bridge.

Maybe, "He walked on
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pructusIf He walked across the bridge for two minutes. is awkward, how can we say the meaning which is intended with this sentence?
He walked part way across the bridge for two minutes, and then stopped to gaze at the river below..
He walked on the bridge for two minutes, and then stopped to gaze at the river below..
He started out across the bridge an
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pructusIf He walked across the bridge for two minutes. is awkward, how can we say the meaning which is intended with this sentence?
The meaning intended with this sentence is that he crossed the whole bridge and got to the other side. You must be referring to some other meaning, perhaps something like what A.S. has written above.

For the "unfinished"
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I see... I see....
Thanks so much, AlpheccaStars!!
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I see... I see....
Thanks so much, CJ!!

By the way... I changed the sentence to " He walked across the bridge for two minutes".

I changed "in" to "for".

"He walked across the bridge for two minutes" must be awkward, I guess...

My understanding here is that 1. "He walked across the b
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pructusBy the way... I changed the sentence to " He walked across the bridge for two minutes".
Oh. OK. I'm not paying as much attention as I should.
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Oh, I see.... I see....
Thanks so much for clearing away all my vaguenesses, CJ!!
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