Level CC1

Practice on SB p. 51, Wordspot “by” (and exceptions

with “on”)

By
_________________________________________________________________
1. To answer “how”
a) “By” answers the question “How…?”, i.e. the method
used for something.

e.g. – How do you go to work?

– By train.

It can apply to ways of communicating, paying or travelling.

e.g.

bus
train Exception!: on foot (= walking)
plane e.g. The kids go to school on foot.
by phone
email
smoke signals
credit card
check

Look at act. 1, sentences a, b and act. 2, categories c, g.

b) Extensively “by” can answer any question of “HOW”

something is done. The combination is usually by + …ing.

e.g. – How do you turn on this machine?

– By pressing the red button.

Look at act. 1, sentence f, and act. 2, category a.

_________________________________________________________________
2. With the passive
“By” is the preposition used in the passive with the doer of
the action.

e.g. A lot of houses have been destroyed by the tornado.

Look at act. 1, sentences i,,j and act. 2, categories b, f.

________________________________________________________________
3. Prepositions “next to” and “before”
a) “By” means “next to” when it’s a preposition of place.
 e.g. They live in a small house by the sea.

b) “By” means “before” (actually it’s Spanish “para +

momento”) when it’s a preposition of time.
e.g. I was deep asleep by the time the show finished.

Look at act. 1, sentences d,,g and act. 2, categories d, e.

________________________________________________________________
4. Other expressions
a) by accident (c.f. opposite, on purpose)
e.g. I dropped the glasses by accident. I didn’t do it on purpose.

b) by oneself (c.f. on one’s own) = alone

myself
yourself
by himself =
themselves
etc.
my own
your own
on his own
their own
etc.

e.g. Parents get worried when children go out by themselves (= on their

own).