By and Until / By the time...

Question 1

By… = not l___ than.

Answer 1

By… = not later than. (pas plus tard que…)

• 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 should have arrived already).}

Question 2

We use until (or till) to say how l____ a situation continues.

Answer 2

We use until (or till) to say how l____ a situation continues. (jusqu’à…)

• ‘Shall we go now?’ ‘No, let’s wait until it stops raining.’ or ‘ … till it stops raining.’

Something continues until a time in the
future:

• I’l be working until 11.30. (so I’ll stop working at 11.30)

Something happens by a time in the future:

• I’ll have finished my work by 11.30.(= I’ll finish my work not later than 11.30.)

Question 3

You can say ‘by the time something h____’.

Answer 3

You can say ‘by the time something happens’. (d’ici à ce que…)

• lt ‘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.

Question 4

You can say ‘by the time something happened’ (for the p___).

Answer 4

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.
• 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)}
• By the time we got to the cinema, the film had already started.

Question 5

Can we also use “by then” or “by that time”?

Answer 5

Yes. Can we also use “by then” or “by that time”.

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

Question 6

Complete the sentences with by.

I have to be at the airport not later than 8.30.
I have to be at the airport ____.

Answer 6

Complete the sentences with by.

I have to be at the airport not later than 8.30. I have to be at the airport by 8:30.

Question 7

Complete the sentences with by.

Let me know not later than Saturday whether you can come to the party. Let me know ____ whether you can come to the party.

Answer 7

Complete the sentences with by.

Let me know not later than Saturday whether you can come to the party. Let me know by Saturday whether you can come to the party.

Question 8

Complete the sentences with by.

Please make sure that you’re here not later than 2 o’clock. Please make sure that ____.

Answer 8

Complete the sentences with by.

Please make sure that you’re here not later than 2 o’clock. Please make sure that you’re here by 2 o’clock.

Question 9

Complete the sentences with by.

If we leave now, we should arrive not later than lunchtime. If we leave now, ____.

Answer 9

Complete the sentences with by.

If we leave now, we should arrive not later than lunchtime. If we leave now, we should arrive by lunchtime.

Question 10

Put in by or until.

Sorry, but I must go. I have to be home ____ 5 o’clock.

Answer 10

Put in by or until.

Sorry, but I must go. I have to be home by 5 o’clock.

Question 11

Put in by or until.

I’ve been offered a job. I haven’t decided yet whether to accept it or not. I have to decide
____ Friday.

Answer 11

Put in by or until.

I’ve been offered a job. I haven’t decided yet whether to accept it or not. I have to decide
by Friday.

Question 12

Put in by or until.

I think I’ll wait ____ Thursday before making a decision.

Answer 12

Put in by or until.

I think I’ll wait until / till Thursday before making a decision.

Question 13

Put in by or until.

It’s too late to go shopping. The shops are open only ____ 5.30 today. They’ll be closed ____ now.

Answer 13

Put in by or until.

It’s too late to go shopping. The shops are open only until 5.30 today. They’ll be closed by now.

Question 14

Put in by or until.

I need to pay the phone bill. lt has to be paid ____ tomorrow. Don’t pay the bill today. Wait ____ tomorrow.

Answer 14

Put in by or until.

I need to pay the phone bill. lt has to be paid by tomorrow. Don’t pay the bill today. Wait untill / till tomorrow.

Question 15

Put in by or until.

A: Have you finished redecorating your house?
B: Not yet. We hope to finish ____ the end of the week.

Answer 15

Put in by or until.

A: Have you finished redecorating your house?
B: Not yet. We hope to finish by the end of the week.

Question 16

Put in by or until.

A: I’m going out now. I’ll be back at about 10.30. Will you still be here? B: I don’t think so. I’ll probably have gone out ____ then.

Answer 16

Put in by or until.

A: I’m going out now. I’ll be back at about 10.30. Will you still be here? B: I don’t think so. I’ll probably have gone out by then.

Question 17

Put in by or until.

I’m moving into my new flat next week. I’m staying with a friend ____ then.

Answer 17

Put in by or until.

I’m moving into my new flat next week. I’m staying with a friend untill / till then.

Question 18

Put in by or until.

I’ve got a lot of work to do. ____ the time I finish, it will be time to go to bed.

Answer 18

Put in by or until.

I’ve got a lot of work to do. By the time I finish, it will be time to go to bed.

Question 19

Put in by or until.

If you want to take part in the competition, you have to apply ____ 3 April.

Answer 19

Put in by or until.

If you want to take part in the competition, you have to apply by 3 April.

Question 20

Read the situations and complete the sentences using By the time…

I intended to catch a train, but it took me longer than expected to get to the station. ____, my train had already left.

Answer 20

Read the situations and complete the sentences using By the time…

I intended to catch a train, but it took me longer than expected to get to the station. By the time I got / I’d gotten to the station, my train had already left.

Question 21

Read the situations and complete the sentences using By the time…

I wanted to go shopping after finishing my work. But I finished much later than expected. ____, it was too late to go shopping.

Answer 21

Read the situations and complete the sentences using By the time…

I wanted to go shopping after finishing my work. But I finished much later than expected. By the time I finished / I’d finished (my work), it was too late to go shopping.