subordinating phrase · neutral
by the time
/baɪ ðə taɪm/by·the·TIME
speakingtask2
used to indicate that something has already happened when another event happens
Examples
“By the time I arrived, the meeting had already started.”
“By the time she finished university, she had published two papers.”
“By the time you read this, I'll be on a plane.”
Band 8 sentence
“By the time policymakers recognised the long-term costs, substantial damage to the ecosystem had already occurred.”
Collocations
- by the time + past simple/past perfect
- by the time I arrived
Word family
time nby then adv phrase
Common mistakes
By the time I arrive, the film had started.→By the time I arrived, the film had started.
Say it for a higher band
5when→6by then→7+by the time
Synonyms
by then
when
Easily confused
by then
“By then, we had already decided to move.”
Related words
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