By the time (that) - Phrase

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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.

(that)

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