Grammar Practice in Context - David Bolton, Noel Goodey 1997
94 By, by the time, until/till
Quick reference
By
• By is a preposition of time, meaning ’not later than’.
I'll be ready by 10.00. (= at 10.00 or before, but not later)
• By the time is a linking phrase, always followed by a verb.
By the time he arrives, the match will be over. (= not later than the moment he arrives)
Until
• We use until, or its short form till, to talk about an activity or a situation that continues and then stops at a particular time.
He slept until/till 10.30. (= He was asleep before 10.30 and then woke up at 10.30.)
• Until and till can be prepositions and link words.
He didn't get out of bed until/till lunchtime. (preposition)
I waited until/till he’d eaten his lunch. (link word + a clause)
• By = not later than that time. Until/till = up to that time.
He wasn’t at work by 2.30. (= He wasn’t at work at or before 2.30.)
He wasn't at work until/till 2.30. (= He wasn’t at work before 2.30, but he was there at 2.30.)
1 Complete the text, using by, by the time, until/till.
James Wright was always late. His ex-girlfriend, Joanna, had stayed with him for six months (1) ... she got fed up. One day he’d said to her: ’I’ll be home (2) ... 8.00 tonight, so I’ll phone you then.’ But (3) ... he got home, it was after 9.00, and he didn’t phone her (4) ... 9.30. And (5) ... he phoned, she’d gone out. ’I waited (6) ... nine, said Joanna, ’and (7) ... then I was furious, so I went out.’
The other day, James was going to have dinner at a friend’s flat. He thought he was supposed to get there (8) ... 8.30, but he didn’t get to the bus-stop (9) ... nine o’clock, and (10) ... he arrived at the friend’s flat it was half past nine. ’I’m sorry. I’m an hour late, but I didn’t get home from work (11) ... seven,’ he said. ’You’re 25 hours late,’ said his friend.
’The dinner was yesterday!’
2 It is Wednesday morning. Helen has taken her car to be repaired. She needs it again on Friday. She is talking to the mechanic. Read the dialogue and think of the word(s) that best fit(s) each space. Choose between A by, В by the time, C until. Write A, В or C.
Mechanic: When do you need the car?
Helen: (1) ... 8.30 Friday morning. When will it be ready?
Mechanic: Not (2) ... next week.
Helen: Not till then?
Mechanic: No, (3) ... we’ve done all the work, it’ll be Tuesday at least.
Helen: But I need it on Friday.
Mechanic: I’m airaid it won’t be ready (4) ... then.
Helen: Can you lend me a car?
Mechanic: Yes, I can get you one (5) ... this afternoon.
Helen: Will all this be expensive?
Mechanic: Yes, it will be, (6) ... you’ve paid lor the repair and the hire car.