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Lesson Plan August 18, 2023

Topic: By, Until & By the time

In this lesson we will look at how to use prepositions for time

Section A

We use “by” to mean not later than

• This milk needs to be used by August 19. (= at or before August 19, not later than August 19)

• I sent the documents to them today, so they should receive them by Monday. (= on or before Monday, but not later than Monday)

• We’d better hurry. We have to be hoe by five o’clock. (= at or before five o’clock, not later than five o’clock)

• Where’s Sarah? She should be here by now. (= now or before now - so she should have already arrived.

Section B

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

• A: Should we go now?
  B: No, let’s wait until it stops raining.

• I couldn’t get up this morning. I stayed in bed until half past ten.

Compare By & Until

Something continues until a time in the future

• Joe will be away until Monday. (= he’ll be back on Monday)

• I’ll be working until 11:30. (= I’ll stop working at 11:30)

Something happens by a time in the future

• Joe will be back by Monday. (= he’ll be back not later than Monday)

• I’ll have to finish my work by 11:30. (= I’ll finish my work not later than 11:30)

Section C

You can use the phrase “by the time something 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 now and the time we get there)

• (Situation; from a postcard): Our holiday ends tomorrow, so by the time you receive this postcard, I’ll be back home. (= I will arrive home between tomorrow and the time we receive this postcard)

• Hurry up! By the time we get to the cinema, the movies will already have started.

You can also use the phrase “by the time something happened” (for the past)

• Karen’s car broke down on the way to the party last night. By the time she arrived, most of the other guests had left. (= it took her a long time to get to the party and most of the guests left during this time)

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

• We went to the movies last night. The trains were behind schedule. By the time we got to the movies, the film had already started.

Lesson Notes

• Let me know by Saturday whether you can come to the party. (= shows the action that you want the person to take)

• By Saturday, let me know whether you can come to the party. (= emphasis on the deadline)

• A: I'm going out now. I'll be back by 10:30. Will you still be here?
  B: I don't think so. I'll probably have gone out by then.

• A: I’m going out now. I won’t be back until 10:30. Will you still be here?
  B: I don’t think so. I’ll probably have gone out by then.