across the screen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'across the screen' is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
An example sentence would be: "The text scrolled quickly across the screen."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Florida Gulf Coast" flashed across the screen.

The New York Times - Sports

Graphics fly across the screen.

The Guardian

kept scrolling across the screen.

The New Yorker

Camels lope across the screen.

The Washington Post

Soon bikes were flying across the screen.

The New York Times - Travel

Silhouettes of models slink across the screen.

The Guardian - Film

Not tolerated". flashes across the screen.

The Washington Post

Another dilemma arises when swiping across the screen.

Cornell University

Scenes of the chase flicked across the screen.

The New York Times

An ASCII rabbit gallops across the screen, to general hysteria.

The Guardian - Tech

Soon the details came flickering across the screen.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an element's movement or appearance, be specific about its direction (e.g., "scrolling vertically across the screen") for clarity.

Common error

Don't assume the context makes the meaning obvious. Instead of just saying "across the screen", specify what is moving or appearing, to prevent misinterpretations. For instance, is it text, an image, or something else?

Linguistic Context

The phrase "across the screen" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs to describe the direction or path of movement or appearance. This is supported by Ludwig examples where elements "flash", "scroll", or "move" across the screen.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "across the screen" is a common and grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to describe movement or appearance on a display. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely accepted in written English. Its frequency and presence in diverse sources, from news media to academic texts, show its versatility. While seemingly straightforward, be mindful of context and precision when using it. Consider alternatives if a more nuanced description is needed, focusing on the specific action or element involved. Overall, "across the screen" serves as a valuable tool for providing spatial context in descriptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

appearing on the screen

Highlights the action of something appearing.

displayed on the screen

Emphasizes the act of displaying something on the screen.

visible on the screen

Focuses on the visibility of something on the screen.

on the display

Focuses on the display as the surface where something appears; less about movement.

traversing the screen

More formal way of saying 'moving across the screen'.

over the monitor

Similar to "across the screen", but specifies the monitor as the display.

stretching across the screen

Emphasizes the horizontal extent of something.

on the television

Specifies television as the type of screen.

scrolling on the screen

Specifically indicates scrolling action.

covering the display

Indicates something is spread over the entire screen.

FAQs

How can I use "across the screen" in a sentence?

You can use "across the screen" to describe movement, appearance, or orientation of elements. For example, "A news flash came "across the screen", shocking them both" or "The ladder to the ground cut vertically "across the screen"."

What are some alternatives to "across the screen"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "on the display", "displayed on the screen", or "appearing on the screen".

Is it better to say "on the screen" or "across the screen"?

"On the screen" indicates general presence, while "across the screen" implies movement or extension. Use "across the screen" when describing motion or something spanning the display's width, or use "on the screen" when describing something simply visible.

What does it mean when something moves "across the screen"?

It generally means that text, images, or other visual elements are moving horizontally from one side of the display to the other. It may also indicate that something spans the entire width of the screen. You can also use "all over the screen" or "to the entire screen".