grammar · neutral

By the time + clause, clause

Band 4-5speakingtask2

Indicates that one event had happened before another time or event.

Examples

“By the time I arrived, the lecture had already started.”

“By the time you read this, I will have left.”

“By the time we finish the project, the deadline will be close.”

Band 8 sentence

“By the time the committee published its findings, most stakeholders had already formed an opinion.”

Collocations

  • By the time + past perfect, past simple
  • By the time + present simple, future perfect

Common mistakes

By the time I arrived, the lecture started.→By the time I arrived, the lecture had already started.

By the time you will read this, I left.→By the time you read this, I will have left.

Say it for a higher band

5When + clause→6Before + clause→7+By the time + clause, clause

Synonyms

When + clause

Easily confused

When + clause

“When I arrived, the concert had already started.”

Related words

Whether + clause (or not)So + adjective + that + clauseEven if + clause, clauseSuch + (a/an) + noun + that + clauseIf + past perfect, would have + past participleOn the one hand + clause; on the other hand + clauseGiven that + clause, + clauseThe more + clause, the more + clause

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In Complex sentences

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