Meaning of by the time. Usage of by the time in English grammar.
"By the time" is highly versatile and commonly used to convey sequencing, anticipation, or expectations regarding timing. It helps clarify time relationships and often implies a sequence that affects how events are interpreted.
Meaning
"By the time" is a phrase used to indicate that something happens before a specific point in time or before another event occurs. It emphasizes the completion of an action or the occurrence of a situation prior to a particular moment.
Synonyms: when, before, not later than, as, whenever
Usage
Present
Describes a situation that generally occurs or will likely happen whenever a particular event takes place.
Please be here by the time the presentation starts.
(The person is asked to arrive no later than the beginning of the presentation.)
You need to submit the form by the time registration closes.
By the time you decide, the offer might expire.
By the time I wake up, he's usually already left for work.
By the time we retire, we hope to have saved enough money.
By the time she turns 40, she wants to have traveled the world.
Past
Indicates that something had already occurred before another past event happened.
By the time we arrived, the train had left.
(The train had already departed when we got there.)
By the time he realized his mistake, it was too late to fix it.
(He recognized the error, but only after it was impossible to correct it.)
By the time the sun set, they had reached the top of the mountain.
By the time the movie ended, I was already asleep.
By the time I finished my homework, it was already 10 PM.
By the time we arrived at the party, everyone had already left.
By the time I called her, she had already left for the airport.
Future
Refers to something expected to be completed or in a certain state by a future point in time.
By the time we finish, the show will start.
(The show will start right after or as we finish.)
By the time we meet again, I'll have completed the training program.
(The speaker expects to finish the training before the next meeting.)
By the time you read this, I will be on my way to Paris.
By the time you finish reading this book, the library will close.
By the time you get to the office, the meeting will have started.
By the time they finish their exams, summer vacation will have started.
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