120 : by and until / by the time …

   A   

By ... = not later than:

• I sent the documents to them today, so they should receive them by Monday. (= on or before Monday, not later than Monday)
• We'd better hurry. We have to be home by 5 o' dock. (= at or before 5 o'clock, not later than 5 o'clock)
• Where's Sarah? She should be here by now. (= now or before now - so she should have already arrived)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   B   

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

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

 

Compare until and by:

Something continues until a time in the future: Joe 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)

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 finished my work by 11.30. (= I'll finish my work not later than 11.30.)

 

 

 

   C   

You can say 'by the time something happens'. Study these examples:

• 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)
• (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 you receive this postcard)
• Hurry up! By the time we get to the cinema, the film will already have started.

 

 

You can say '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.
  (= it took me a long time to do the work, and I became more and more tired during this time)
• We went to the cinema last night. It took us a long time to find somewhere to park the car. By the time we got to the cinema, the film had already started.

 

 

Also  by then  or  by that time:

• Karen finally got to the party at midnight, but by then, most of the other guests had left.  or  ... but by that time, most of the other guests had left.