3 expressions to improve your conversation skills

Summary

In this lesson, Emma explains the differences between the time prepositions 'by' and 'until,' which often confuse English learners. 'Until' refers to actions or events continuing up to a certain time, while 'by' means something must happen before or at a specific time. She provides clear examples, such as 'I worked until 7 p.m.' and 'I need to return my movie by January 12th.' Emma also explores the expression 'by the time' and its use in different contexts, along with helpful tips for understanding when to use each preposition correctly.

Takeaways

• 😀 'Until' is used when a situation or event continues up to a specific time, and then ends after that time.
• 😀 'Until' is more formal, while 'till' is informal, but they share the same meaning.
• 😀 Example of 'until': 'I worked until 7 p.m.' — meaning the work continued up to 7 p.m. and stopped afterward.
• 😀 'By' indicates that something will happen before or at a specific time, but not after.
• 😀 Example of 'by': 'I need to return my movie by January 12th' — meaning before or exactly on January 12th.
• 😀 'By' can also be used to express a deadline, like in goal-setting: 'I will quit smoking by the summer.'
• 😀 'By the time' has the same meaning as 'by', but is used before a verb to indicate something happens before or at the specific time.
• 😀 Example of 'by the time': 'The subway was closed by the time I left work.' — meaning it was closed before I left.
• 😀 'Until' and 'by' can both be used to complete sentences, but they change the meaning significantly, especially in time-related contexts.
• 😀 When filling in the blanks, 'until' refers to an ongoing action up to a point, while 'by' refers to a deadline or completion before or at that time.
• 😀 The phrase 'I will be at the restaurant by 8 p.m.' implies arriving before or exactly at 8 p.m., while 'I will be at the restaurant until 8 p.m.' means staying there until 8 p.m. and then leaving.

Q & A

What is the main difference between the prepositions 'by' and 'until'?

'By' indicates that something must happen before or at a certain time, but not after. 'Until' means that an action continues up to a certain point in time and then stops.

Can 'until' and 'till' be used interchangeably?

Yes, 'until' and 'till' have the same meaning, but 'until' is more formal, while 'till' is informal.

What does 'until' express in terms of time?

'Until' expresses that an action or event continues up to a specific point in time and then stops at that time.

How does the meaning change when using 'by' instead of 'until' in a sentence?

When using 'by,' the meaning indicates that something must happen before or at the latest at a specific time, while 'until' indicates the continuation of an action up to that time.

Can you give an example of how 'by' works in a sentence?

Sure! 'I need to return my movie by January 12th.' This means the movie should be returned on or before January 12th.

What does 'by the time' mean, and how is it used differently from 'by'?

'By the time' means the same as 'by,' but it is used before a verb to express that something happens before or at the specific time an event occurs.

Can 'by' and 'until' both be used in the same sentence?

Yes, 'by' and 'until' can both be used in the same sentence, but they will affect the meaning differently. For example, 'I will be at the restaurant by 8 p.m.' (meaning I will arrive before or at 8 p.m.) vs 'I will be at the restaurant until 8 p.m.' (meaning I will stay until 8 p.m. and then leave).

What is the key difference in meaning when using 'by' in terms of goals or deadlines?

'By' is used when referring to a deadline or goal that must be achieved before or exactly at a specific time. For example, 'I will quit smoking by the summer' means quitting will happen before the summer begins.

What does 'until' suggest in relation to actions or situations?

'Until' suggests that the action or situation will continue up to a particular time, and then it will stop. For example, 'I worked until 7 p.m.' means the action of working continues up to 7 p.m.

Why is it important to differentiate between 'by' and 'until' when giving directions or making plans?

Differentiating between 'by' and 'until' helps ensure clarity in communication. 'By' implies a deadline or specific time limit, while 'until' refers to the duration of an activity up to a specific time, which can change the meaning of a sentence or plan.