'By' (+ a time) not later than:
- I posted the letter today, so they should receive it ~ Monday .
(=on or before Monday on Monday at the latest) (not 'until Monday')
- Where's Ann? She should be here ~ now . (
= now or before now; so she should have already arrived) (not 'until now')
.
- I'll have finished my work ~ 11 o'clock . (
= I'II finish my work at or before 11 o'clock, at 11 o'clock at the latest) (not 'until 11 o'clock')
.
- Tell me ~ Friday whether or not you can come to the party, (not 'Tell me until Friday').
You can also say '~ the time' ( something happens ):
- It's not worth going shopping now. By the time we get to the shops , they will be shut. (
= they will shut between now and the time we get there
)
We use '~' to say how we travel:
~ car/~ train/~ plane/~ boat/~ ship/~ bus/~ bicycle .
Also: ~ road/~ rail/~ air/~ sea/~ Underground
- 'How did you go to Paris?' 'By plane.'
- Tom usually goes to work ~ bicycle/~ car/~ bus/~ train.
We say 'to pay ~ cheque' (but 'to pay in cash' or 'to pay cash' ):
- Did you pay ~ cheque or in cash?
We say 'to do something ~ accident/~ mistake/~ chance' :
- We hadn't arranged to meet. We met ~ chance.
We say 'a play ~ Shakespeare/a painting ~ Rembrandt/a novel ~ Tolstoy' etc.:
- Have you read any books ~ Agatha Christie? (
= any books written ~ Agatha Christie?
)
We say 'to be surprised/shocked/amazed/astonished ~/at something' :
- Everybody was surprised/shocked ~/at the news.
We say 'to be impressed ~/with someone/something' :
- I wasn't very impressed ~/with the film.