Phrase-Notlaterthanthetimementioned. Weusebythetimemeaning‘when’,to connectanactionthathashappenedorwill havehappenedbeforeasecondaction. Theactionthathappenedsecondcomes afterbythetime:
[action2] [action1]
Bythetimeyouwakeup,I’llhavefinishedwork! [action1] [action2]
Unfortunatelythemanhaddiedbythetimetheambulancearrived. [action2] [action1]
Bythetimewearrived,theotherguestswerealreadythere. [action2] [action1]
BythetimeIgottothestation,thetrainhadalreadygone. [action2] [action1]
Bythetimewegothomeweweretiredandhungry. commonmistake
Ifatimephrasebeginswithbythetime(that),thentheverbthatfollowsthetime phrasemustbeinthepresentsimple,not in thefuturesimple.
✗Isheonhisway?Bythetimehewillgethere,thepartywillhavefinished!
✓Isheonhisway?Bythetimehegetshere,thepartywillhavefinished!
✗Bythetimeyouwillwakeup,I’llhavefinishedwork!
✓Bythetimeyouwakeup,I’llhavefinishedwork!
Bynow By+time
beforethismoment,beforenow
Soniashouldhavebeenhomebynow. Doyouthinkshe’sOK?
Themeetingshouldhavefinishedbynow.
Sheshouldhavebeenbackbynow. She'sbeengoneformorethananhour.
notlaterthan;atorbefore:
Shehadpromisedtobebackbyfiveo'clock.
Thedocumentsneedtobereadybynext Friday.
Bytheendofthedaywehadsoldover2,000 ticket.
Bythen/bythattime Bythistime
beforeaspecifiedtimeorbeforeacertain eventoccurs
I'llcallyoutomorrow-Ishouldhavethe detailsbythen.
Callagainnextweek.Theyshouldhave reachedadecisionbythen.
I’lldrivestraightbackhomeafterthe meeting;Ihopeitwon’thavegrowndark bythattime.
already;beforethis
Bythistime,they'dbothleft.
He'susuallyawakebythistime.
Bythistime,I'musuallytuckedupinbed, asleep.
beforeaspecifictimeinthepastorfuture
Bythistimenextweek,we'llbeinNew York.
Bythistimelastyear,Ihadalready graduatedfromcollege.