Exercise 1
Complete the sentences with by.
1 We have to be home not later than 5 o’clock.
We have to be home …………………….
2 I have to be at the airport not later than 8.30.
I have to be at the airport …………………….
3 Let me know not later than Saturday whether you can come to the party.
……………………. whether you can come to the party.
4 Please make sure that you’re here not later than 2 o’clock.
Please make sure that …………………….
5 If we leave now, we should arrive not later than lunchtime.
If we leave now, …………………….
Answers
1
1 We have to be home by 5 o’clock.
2 I have to be at the airport by 8.30.
3 Let me know by Saturday whether you can come to the party.
4 Please make sure that you’re here by 2 o’clock.
5 If we leave now, we should arrive by lunchtime.
Exercise 2
Put in by or until.
1 Steve has gone away. He’ll be away ……………………. until Monday.
2 Sorry, but I must go. I have to be home ……………………. 5 o’clock.
3 I’ve been offered a job. I haven’t decided yet whether to accept it or not. I have to decide……………………. Friday.
4 I think I’ll wait ……………………. Thursday before making a decision.
5 It’s too late to go shopping. The shops are open only ……………………. 5.30 today. They’ll be closed ……………………. now.
6 I need to pay the phone bill. It has to be paid ……………………. tomorrow.
7 Don’t pay the bill today. Wait ……………………. tomorrow.
8 A: Have you finished redecorating your house?
B: Not yet. We hope to finish ……………………. the end of the week.
9 A: I’m going out now. I’ll be back at about 10.30. Will you still be here?
B: I don’t think so. I’ll probably have gone out ……………………. then.
10 I’m moving into my new flat next week. I’m staying with a friend ……………………. then.
11 I’ve got a lot of work to do. ……………………. the time I finish, it will be time to go to bed.
12 If you want to take part in the competition, you have to apply ……………………. 3 April.
Answers
2
1 until
2 by
3 by
4 until
5 until (5.30) … by (now)
6 by
7 until
8 by
9 by
10 until
11 By
12 by
Exercise 3
Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use by or until.
1 David is away at the moment. He’ll be away …………………….
2 David is away at the moment. He’ll be back …………………….
3 I’m just going out. I won’t be very long. Wait here …………………….
4 I’m going out to buy a few things. it’s 4.30 now. I won ‘t be long. I’ll be back …………………….
5 If you want to apply for the job, your application must be received …………………….
6 Last night I watched TV …………………….
Answers
3
1 until Monday
2 by Monday
3 until I come back
4 by 5 o’clock
5 by next Friday
6 until midnight
Exercise 4
Read the situations and complete the sentences using By the time … .
1 I was invited to a party, but I got there much later than I intended.
……………………., most of the other guests had left.
2 I intended to catch a train, but it took me longer than expected to get to the station.
……………………., my train had already left.
3 I wanted to go shopping after finishing my work. But I finished much later than expected.
……………………., it was too late to go shopping.
4 I saw two men who looked as if they were trying to steal a car. I called the police, but it was some time before they arrived.
……………………., the two men had disappeared.
5 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.
……………………., we had to come down again.
Answers
4
1 By the time I got to the party / By the time I’d got to the party
2 By the time I got to the station / By the time I’d got to the station
3 By the time I finished (my work) / By the time I’d finished (my work)
4 By the time the police arrived / By the time the police had arrived
5 By the time we got to the top (of the mountain) / By the time we’d got to the top (of the mountain)
