Do you have any difficulties in using ‘BY’ in English? If so, don’t worry, because you’re not the only one facing this situation. In fact, its use is so rich and varied that deserves our special attention. Therefore, it’s hight time you learned how to use ‘by' correctly and fearlessly. To make things easier for students of English, I’ve decided to sum up its most common uses in the following explanation. I do hope the diagram above also helps you learn how to use 'by' ‘by heart' ( I’m just kidding!)
If you are a native speaker of Portuguese, have a look at some notes marked with an asterix (*).
1)AFTER A PASSIVE VERB (identifying the agent performing an action. *In Port= por)
e.g ’Romeo and Juliet ‘ was written by Shakespeare.
2)TO EXPRESS TIME
a)To indicate a deadline or the end of a particular time period, no later than.e.g’I’ve got to do this report by Monday’ ( * In Port. = até, antes de)
b)To say that time passes, e.g As time went by, we got used to living there. (* In Port. = com o passar do tempo)
c) With the expression 'by the time’= when. e.g By the time I was 18, I had leant how to speak 3 foreign languages.
d) to say that someone stops somewhere for a short time, mainly with the verbs drop/stop / go by and come by: e.g Why don’t you stop by on your way home from work?Why don’t you drop by for coffee some time?
3) POSITION ( = NEXT TO, BESIDE)
e.g I live by a football stadium
4)IN PHRASES INDICATING THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED IN A WAY THAT WAS NOT PLANNED.
a) By chance = e.g ’I heard by chance that she is going to get married again’. (* In Port. por acaso)
b) By a stroke of luck - e.g By stroke of luck, I found the perfect name for my shop ( * In Portuguese= por ventura, por um golpe de sorte)
c) By surprise= e.g I was taken by surprise. (* I Portuguese= de surpresa)
d) By mistake/ by accident. e.g Today I took your packed lunch to school by mistake.( In Port. por engano)
5) IN PHRASES INDICATING THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS REPEATEDLY OR PROGRESSIVELY.
a) little by little/ bit by bit = (In Port.'pouco a pouco ‘)
b) step by step = gradually ( In Port. 'passo a passo’.)
c) day by day = ( *In Port. =dia após dia). He’s getting healthier day by day.
6) TO INDICATE A METHOD (HOW SOMETHING IS DONE)
a) the means of transport selected for a journey. e.g ’I travelled to Paris by rail’ ( by train, by plane, by car, by taxi, etc.) Remember that when we walk, we should say on foot.
b) by cheque, by credit card , by debit card- e.g “Can I pay by credit card?’ ( but we say in cash)
c)He learned English by watching TV series. * Note that a typical error made by Portuguese speakers is to omit ‘by'.
d)When we say by + myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves, it means ‘alone’, that is, without anyone's help. e.g 'I did the homework by myself. Note that while we say “by myself’, we say ‘on my own’.
e) By ear. e.g I leant to play the piano by ear.
f) By hand. e.g When I visited Turkey I bought a rug made by hand
g) By hook or (by) crook= an idiomatic expression which means anyway., by any means, eg. I’ll pass this exam by hook or crook.
7)TO TALK ABOUT MEASUREMENT/ AMOUNT
e.g My salary has increased by 10 %. / Four multiplied by two is eight./Six divided by two is three. This tablecloth measures 175 cms by 250cms (70" x 90").
8)BY THE WAY
=It is an expression used to add something to what has been said. In Portuguese, ‘by the way’ means “aliás”, “a propósito”,“por falar nisso”. e.g Do you live in a flat? So do I. By the way, it’s for sale.
9) WITH 'BY HEART’ WE CAN USE THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS
b) to know by heart , which means e.g 'The only song I know by heart is 'Angel', by Robbie Williams.
10) BY AND LARGE = ON THE WHOLE, IN GENERAL
( * in Port. =de modo geral) E.G By and large, I enjoyed my time at school.
11. BY FAR- to give emphasis e. This is by far the most beautiful city I’ve ever bee to.( * In Port. de longe
No comments:
Post a Comment