by camel

No, "by the camel" is not OK... You can say "I'm paid by the hour", or "this book sells by the thousand". Even "traveling by camel" sounds a bit weird. Why not "on camel's back" or something like that?

Sentence 2 is wrong. It kind of means that everyone travelling by camel in the desert uses the same camel, as though there were just one (hardworking) camel.

But if you are asking if 'the' can ever follow 'by', then the answer is yes. You would use 'the' after 'by' if you are talking about a specific person or thing. For example 'the speech was delivered by the Prime Minister'.

Hi Teo,

The whole sentence doesn't fit well. I think the appropriate replacement would be:

Some people in the desert travel by riding on top of camels.

Savvy

Hi,

Some people in the desert travel by camel sounds fine to me. It's the same as saying some people go to work by bus.

Best wishes, Clive

'By camel' is fine by me, as is 'by horse', by dogsled, by 'piggyback', etc.

Some people in the desert travel by camel.

(Wait an hour, and three come along together. Sheesh.)

1. It's easier to go to town by the bus (rather than by the train). [quoted from A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language]

2. Some people in the desert travel by the desert.

If sentence #1 is correct, why is sentence #2 incorrect?

Thanks a lot for your reply.

Hi Teo,

Both sentences are incorrect now:

Sentence 1 should be It's easier to go to town by bus.

Sentence 2: travel by desert?? You probably meant travel by camel again.

Savvy

Dear Teo,

We may say that in your sentence number one, it is «the bus or the train that goes into the town». It is therefore specific.

In your sentence number two, however, it is a general statement.

Kind regards,

1. I came here by the local bus.

2. I came here by local bus.

Which of the above sentences is correct?

Thanks a lot for your reply.