[Grammar] ‘to follow across’ VS ‘to follow around’

[northpath]

Which preposition is correct in the sentence below or both are OK?
‘The police followed him across/around the city.’

 

[Tdol]

They're both correct, but the directions of travel are not the same to me.

 

[GoesStation]

Across would be a direct trip by a quick way from one side of the city to the other. Around could either be a meandering journey through various areas of the city or a circumnavigation of it.

 

[jutfrank]

Which preposition is correct in the sentence below or both are OK?

Don't ask Which is correct? That question doesn't go anywhere. We have to interpret your post as meaning What is the difference?

 

[northpath]

OK. The same question about the sentence:
They left for a journey across/around the USA.
If they are tourists and plan a meandering journey through various areas of the county, the preposition should be ‘around’, but they for instance are citizens of this country and moving to a new residential area, the proposition should be ‘across’, right?