Definition
by (the end of the week): before, no later than (the end of the week)
The results will be announced by Monday. It will probably be Saturday but it could be Sunday.
Cashman should be here by now, he said he'd be here before 3 PM and it's now 3.30.
By the time (you read this, I will be gone): When (you read this, I will be gone), Before (you have read this, I will have gone)
- "By the time it reaches Brazil, we will have missed the delivery deadline!"
- "Be ready at the bus depot by 5 AM. Sorry, money is tight right now."
- "Our ETA in Boston is 1:30 AM, but again, I'll do my best to make it there by midnight."
- "We'll be back by tomorrow afternoon."
- "Tomorrow morning I have to finish an interim financial report, and Kevin still hasn't gotten back to me with the figures I need from the factories in Asia, and I already asked him eight times, and Bruno's going to be furious if the finished report isn't on his desk by 12."
- "If the Intergalactic Tax Office doesn't receive it by midnight, the planet will be destroyed!"
- "Otherwise, give me a chance, and I'll have a report for you by Tuesday."
- "You must be in the dining room at 7.30 sharp , and have finished eating by 7.45 sharp ."
- "- You must check out by 8AM on your day of departure."
- "I need, like, three thousand copies by Tuesday!"
Still unsure of the best way to use 'By the time'? Improve your English thanks to our online English lessons. We offer a free test as well as a free level assessment!
What our users say:
Test your English with Gymglish today and get a free level assessment
Absolutely free - no strings attached.
