English Grammar Exercises – Prepositions: By

Exercise 1   

Complete the sentences using by + the following:

canal    chance    credit card    hand    mistake

1   We hadn’t arranged to meet. We met …………………….

2   I didn’t intend to take your umbrella. I took it …………………….

3   Don’t put the sweater in the washing machine. It has to be washed …………………….

4   I don’t need cash. I can pay the bill …………………….

5   The town is not on the coast, but is connected to the sea …………………….

Exercise 2   

Put in by, in or on.

1   Jess usually goes to work ……………………. bus.

2   I saw Jane this morning. She was ……………………. the bus.

3   How did you get here? Did you come ……………………. train?

4   I decided not to go ……………………. car. I went ……………………. my bike instead.

5   I didn’t feel like walking home, so I came home ……………………. a taxi.

6   Sorry we’re late. We missed the bus, so we had to come ……………………. foot.

7   How long does it take to cross the Atlantic ……………………. ship?

Exercise 3   

All these sentences have a mistake. Correct them.

1   Did you come here by Kate’s car or yours? …………………….

2   I don’t like travelling on bus. …………………….

3   These photographs were taken by a very good camera. …………………….

4   I know this music is from Beethoven, but I can’t remember what it’s called. …………………….

5   I couldn’t pay by cash – I didn’t have any money on me. …………………….

6   We lost the game because of a mistake of one of our players. …………………….

Exercise 4   

Write three sentences like the examples. Write about a song, a painting, a film, a book etc.

1   War and Peace is a book by Tolstoy.

2   Romeo and Juliet is a play by Shakespeare.

3   …………………….

4   …………………….

5   …………………….

Exercise 5  

Put in by, in, on or with.

1   Have you ever been bitten ……………………. a dog?

2   The plane was badly damaged ……………………. lightning.

3   We managed to put the fire out ……………………. a fire extinguisher.

4   Who is that man standing ……………………. the window?

5   These photographs were taken ……………………. a friend of mine.

6   I don’t mind going ……………………. car, but I don’t want to go ……………………. your car.

7   There was a small table ……………………. the bed ……………………. a lamp and a dock ……………………. it.

Exercise 6  

Complete the sentences using by.

1   Clare’s salary was £2,500 a month. Now it is £2,750.

     Her salary …………………….

2   My daily newspaper used to cost 80 pence. From today it costs 90.

     The price has gone up …………………….

3   There was an election. Helen won. She got 25 votes and James got 23.

     Helen won …………………….

4   I went to Kate’s house to see her, but she had gone out five minutes before I arrived.

     I missed …………………….