Confused Words: During vs. Through

Hello, bright minds! Welcome to another fascinating English lesson. Today, we’ll unravel the differences between the words during and through. These prepositions often cause confusion, but we’ll clear it up in no time!

During

During (IPA: /ˈdʊərɪŋ/) is a preposition used to indicate a period or range of time in which something happens.

Here are 10 examples:

1. He fell asleep during the movie. (He fell asleep while the movie was happening)
2. I visited my hometown during the holidays. (I visited my hometown in the period of the holidays)
3. The phone rang during dinner. (The phone rang while we were having dinner)
4. They chatted during the break. (They chatted in the interval of time designated as the break)
5. It rained during the night. (It rained in the period of nighttime)
6. I read a book during my flight. (I read a book while I was on the airplane)
7. The power went out during the storm. (The power went out while the storm was occurring)
8. She exercises during the morning. (She exercises in the period of the morning)
9. Many shops are closed during the festival. (Many shops are closed while the festival is happening)
10. The children play during recess. (The children play in the time designated as recess)

Through

Through (IPA: /θruː/) is a preposition used to express movement from one side of an enclosed space to the other, or completion of a process or period.

Here are 10 examples:

1. We drove through the tunnel. (We moved from one side of the tunnel to the other)
2. He read the book through in one sitting. (He completed reading the book in one sitting)
3. The road goes through the forest. (The road extends from one side of the forest to the other)
4. I learned English through online courses. (I learned English by means of online courses)
5. We’re halfway through the semester. (We’ve completed half of the semester)
6. She sifted the flour through a sieve. (She moved the flour from one side of the sieve to the other)
7. The dog squeezed through the fence. (The dog moved from one side of the fence to the other)
8. I listened to the lecture through to the end. (I completed listening to the lecture to the end)
9. The rumor spread through the school. (The rumor spread from one part of the school to all other parts)
10. The sun shone through the window. (The sun’s light passed from one side of the window to the other)

Conclusion

To sum up, during is used to indicate when something happens within a period or range of time, while through suggests movement from one side to another or completion of a process or period. Mastering these words will make your English even more precise and fluent!