By and until. By the time

By (+ a time) )= not later than:

I sent the letter to them, so they should receive it by Monday
(=on or before Monday, not later than Monday)

We’d better hurry. We have to be home by 5 o’clock
(=at or before 5 o’clock, not later than 5 ‘clock)

Where’s Susan? She should be here by now
( =now or before now – so she should have already arrived)

The milk has to bes used by 14 August



We use until or till to say how long a situation continues:

Shall we go now? No, let’s until (or till) it stops raining
I couldn’t get up this morning, I stayed in bed until half past ten ( or I didn’t get up until half past ten)


Compare until and by

David will be away until Monday ( so he’ll be back on Monday)
I’ll be working until 11.30 ( so I’ll stop working at 11.30)

David will be back by Monday ( he’ll be back not later than Monday)
I’ll have finished my work by 11.30 (I’ll finish my work not later than 11.30)


You can say “by the time somethings happens”


- It’s too late to go to the bank now. By the time we get there , it will be closed
(the bank will close between no2w and the time we get there)

- Our holiday ends tomorow. So by the time you receive the postcard I’ll be back home ( written in a postcard)
( I will arrive home between tomorrow and the time you receive the postcard)

- Hurry up! By the time we get to the cinema the film wil already have started


You can say by the time somthing happened – for the past
Karen’s car broke down on the way to the party las night. By the time she arrived most of the other guest had left

- it took her long time to get to the party and most of the guest left during this tme)

I had a lot of work to do yesterday evening. I was very tired by the time i finished

- It took me a long time to do the work, and I became more an d more tired during this time

We went to the cinema last night. I took us a long time to find somewhere to park the car. By the time we got to the cinema, the film has already started


Also by then or by that time

Karen finally arrived at the party at midnight, buy by then – or by that time- most of the guest had left.



Sentences with by

We have to be thome not later than 5 o’clock, we habe to be home by 5’oclock

I have to be at the ariport not later than 8.30, I have to be at the airport by 8.30 o’ clock.

Let me know not later than Saturday whether you can come to the party, Let me know whether you can come to the party by Saturday

Please make sure that you’re here not later than 2 o’clock, Please make sure that you’re here by 2 o’clock.

If we leave now, we should arrive not later than lunchtime. If we leave now we should arrive by lunch time


By or until

Steve has gone away. He’ll be away until Monday
Sorry, but I must go. I have to be home by 5 o’clock.
I’ve been offered a job. I haven’t decided yet whether to accept it or not. I have to decide until Friday.
I think I’ll wait until Thursday before making a decision
It’ s so late to go shopping. The shops are open only until 5.30.They’ll be closed by now.
I’d better pay the phone bill. It has to be paid until by tomorrow.
Don’pay the bill today. Wait until tomorrow.
Have you finishe redecorating your house? Not yet. We hope to finish by the end of the week.
I’m going out now. I’ll be back at abotu 10.30. Will you still be here? I don’t think so. I’ll probably have gone out by then
I’m moving into my new flat next week. I’ m staying with a friend until then.
I’ve got a lot of work to do. By the time I finish, it will be time to go to bed.
If you want to take part in the comptetition you have to apply until 3 April.


By or until

David is away at the moment. He’ll be away until Monday
David is away at the moment. He’ll be away by Monday

I’m just going out. I won’t be very long. Wait here until I come back
I’m going out to buy a few things. It’s 4.30 now. I won’t be long. Ill be back by 6 o’clock.
If you want to apply for the job, your application must be received by Friday
Last night I watched TV until 12 o’clock.


By the time

I was invited to a party, but I got there much later than i intented. By the time I got to the party most of the other guest had left

I wanted to catch the train but it took me longer than expected to get the stacion, by the time I got the station my train had already left.

I wanted to go shopping after finishing my work. But i finished much later than expected by the time I arrived at shop it was to late to go shopping.

I saw two men who lloked as if they were trying to steal a car. I called the police but it was some time before they arrived. By the time the police arrived the two men had disappeared.

We climbed a mountain and it took us a very long time to get to the top. There wasn’t much time to enjoy the view. By the time we were on the top we had to come down again.