English Grammar
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES with 'BY'
Phrases introduced by the preposition 'by'.
Prepositonal phrases with 'by', with their meaning and examples of use.
Prepositional phrases are set phrases or groups of words introduced by a preposition.
| 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. |
| By right | By right; according to the law | The land belongs to him by right. |
More Prepositional Phrases:
See also: Prepositions
Try these online exercises: at-on-in at-for-from-in into-onto-off-over-up