English Grammar
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES with 'BY'
Set phrases or groups of words introduced with the preposition 'by'.
Prepositional phrases are set phrases or groups of words introduced by a preposition.
Below are some examples of commonly-used propositional phrases with 'BY', with their meaning and a sentence showing how they are used.
Prepositional phrase | Meaning | Example |
By accident | Unintentionally; by chance | I found my ring by accident when tidying the wardrobe. |
By all accounts | According to what people say | I've made enquiries, and by all accounts this is the best hotel in the area. |
By all means | Of course; certainly | If you'd like a copy you may have one by all means. |
By and by | After a short while; eventually | You will get used to the lifestyle by and by. |
By and large | In general; on the whole | By and large our trip was very enjoyable. |
By appointment | You must arrange a time beforehand | In the off-season you can visit the castle by appointment. |
By chance | Unintentionally; without plan or intent | He met her by chance in a bookshop. |
By degrees | Gradually; little by little | She adapted to her new environment by degrees. |
By hand | By a person, not a machine | The dresses and jackets are embroidered by hand. |
By heart | By memorisation | At school we had to learn multiplication tables by heart. |
By invitation (only) | Only possible if you receive an invitation. | It's strictly private. Membership is by invitation only. |
By law | A rule that is legally imposed. | Restaurants are required by law to display their prices outside. |
By mistake | Not deliberately; in error. | The letter was sent by mistake to the wrong address. |
By nature | Inborn or hereditary characteristics | She is optimistic by nature. She always sees the bright side of things. |
By no means | Not at all | It is by no means easy to adapt to a new country. |
By now | Before this moment | Dad's getting worried. Lucy should be home by now. |
More Prepositional Phrases:
See also: Prepositions
Try these online exercises: at-on-in at-for-from-in into-onto-off-over-up