An architect describes data flow in a system diagram: "Data flows _____ the ingestion layer _____ the transformation pipeline _____ the data warehouse." Which prepositions correctly describe the sequential flow?
From / through / into is correct. This follows the natural sequence of spatial prepositions for data flow: from (origin) → through (passage/process) → into (destination/final container). "Data flows from the ingestion layer through the transformation pipeline into the data warehouse" is the canonical architecture description pattern. Mixing these up reverses the logic of the pipeline.
2 / 12
A developer documents a microservices architecture: "Communication _____ services is handled by the API gateway." Which preposition correctly describes the relationship between multiple services?
Between is correct. "Between services" is used when referring to the interactions of multiple distinct services with each other. "Between" expresses the mutual, bidirectional relationship in a network of components. Within would mean "inside a single service". Across would be used for spanning all services ("across all services"). Through describes passage, not relationship.
3 / 12
A DevOps engineer writes in a runbook: "The configuration is propagated _____ all nodes in the cluster _____ a few minutes." Which pair of prepositions is correct?
Across / within is correct. "Propagated across all nodes" means the configuration spreads to every node — "across" expresses distribution over all members of a set. "Within a few minutes" means before a few minutes have elapsed — "within" sets a time boundary. This is the standard phrasing for cluster configuration propagation. "Between all nodes" would be grammatical but unusual — "between" implies a mutual relationship, while "across" better captures uniform distribution.
4 / 12
A security engineer describes network segmentation: "The database servers are isolated _____ the public internet by a firewall." Which preposition correctly describes separation?
From is correct. "Isolated from X" is the standard construction for expressing that a component is separated from a threat or network segment. The preposition "from" marks the thing being blocked or separated. Inside and within would describe a location, not a separation. Between implies two things relative to each other, not separation from something external.
5 / 12
A backend developer writes in an API guide: "All requests are routed _____ the load balancer before reaching the application servers." Which preposition describes the request passing through a component?
Through is correct. "Routed through the load balancer" means the request passes via the load balancer — it enters, is processed, and exits to a destination. "Through" is the standard preposition for traffic that passes via an intermediary component. Across implies distribution. Between implies a mutual relationship between two endpoints. Into would suggest the request enters the load balancer and stays there.
6 / 12
A cloud architect describes a multi-region deployment: "The service is replicated _____ three regions to ensure high availability." Which preposition correctly expresses distribution across regions?
Across is correct. "Replicated across three regions" means the service is distributed to multiple regions, covering all of them. "Across" expresses coverage of a set. Between would be used if there were exactly two regions. Within would mean inside a single region. Through would imply sequential passage, not distribution.
7 / 12
A developer documents module architecture: "The business logic should remain _____ the service layer and not leak into the controller layer." Which preposition correctly describes containment?
Within is correct. "Remain within the service layer" describes containment — the logic should stay inside a specific layer and not cross the boundary into another. Within is the preposition of internal containment. Across implies spanning multiple layers. Through implies passage. Between implies mutual relationship between two layers.
8 / 12
Which sentence uses spatial prepositions incorrectly in a technical context?
Option D is incorrect. "Stored into the cluster across the database" mixes spatial prepositions incorrectly. "Into" implies destination (the logs go into something), but "across the database" is confusing — logs are not stored "across" a database in standard usage. The correct form would be "stored in the database cluster" or "distributed across the cluster nodes". Options A, B, and C all use spatial prepositions correctly.
9 / 12
A technical spec describes API rate limiting: "Rate limits apply _____ all endpoints, not just the public-facing ones." Which preposition correctly indicates universal application?
Across is correct. "Apply across all endpoints" means the rate limits span every endpoint without exception — uniform coverage of all members of a set. This is the standard phrasing for policies that apply universally. Within would imply the limits apply inside a specific scope. Into implies movement or direction. Between would imply a relationship between specific pairs of endpoints.
10 / 12
An infrastructure engineer describes network traffic flow in a multi-tier architecture: "Traffic enters _____ the internet-facing load balancer, passes _____ the application tier, and is persisted _____ the database cluster." Which set of prepositions is correct?
Into / through / into is correct. "Enters into the internet-facing load balancer" — into marks the point of entry. "Passes through the application tier" — through marks passage via a processing layer. "Persisted into the database cluster" — into marks the final destination where data is stored. This follows the canonical three-stage flow description for multi-tier architectures. The other options mix directional and distributional prepositions incorrectly.
11 / 12
In a Slack message discussing a recent deployment failure, David explained that the faulty microservice was located 'right next to' the database. Which preposition most accurately conveys this spatial relationship in the context of system architecture?
Adjacent to signifies a close physical or logical proximity, mirroring David's description. Options A and B are incorrect as they describe separation; option C suggests a functional relationship and option D an integrated one.
12 / 12
Sarah commented on the PR: 'The data is flowing through the caching layer before hitting the database. It needs to be positioned within the service for optimal performance.' Which prepositions best describe this workflow?
This question tests understanding of sequential flow and containment. 'Through' indicates movement *across* a component, while 'within' signifies placement *inside* another. The correct answer combines both concepts to accurately describe the data's journey through the system. Using 'in' or 'over' would be inappropriate for describing this interaction.
What will I practise in "Spatial Prepositions in System Descriptions — Grammar Exercise"?
Practice using within, across, between, outside, inside, into, from, through correctly to describe system architecture, data flow, and component relationships.
How many exercises are in this module?
This module has 12 multiple-choice exercises, each with instant feedback and a full explanation of the correct answer.
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How is this different from reading an article on the same topic?
Articles explain grammar rules in prose; this exercise tests and reinforces those rules through active recall with immediate feedback — the two work best together.
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Every exercise is written by the CoderSlingo team, drawing on real workplace English used in IT roles, then reviewed for accuracy and clarity.