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Electrum Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
By vs. with
The earth had been tamped flat with hydraulic tamper-rammers.
The earth had been tamped flat by hydraulic tamper-rammers.
The earth had been tamped flat by experienced workmen.
Should I take it that with is used to introduce an instrument and by to introduce an agent? This would make sentences 1 and 3 correct, and 2 incorrect. But sentence 2 sounds all right too. Does anyone have a rule or an opinion on this?
The earth had been tamped flat by hydraulic tamper-rammers.
The earth had been tamped flat by experienced workmen.
Should I take it that with is used to introduce an instrument and by to introduce an agent? This would make sentences 1 and 3 correct, and 2 incorrect. But sentence 2 sounds all right too. Does anyone have a rule or an opinion on this?
Top answer
- - Yes. This would make sentences 1 and 3 correct, and 2 incorrect. But sentence 2 sounds all right too.
- - - Yes.
- This would make sentences 1 and 3 correct, and 2 incorrect.
- But sentence 2 sounds all right too.
- -- #2 is OK because sometimes the line between instrument and agent is murky.
- Only when it is clear does the wrong preposition sound bad: He was eaten with a cannibal.
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3 Answers
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Should I take it that with is used to introduce an instrument and by to introduce an agent?-- Yes.
This would make sentences 1 and 3 correct, and 2 incorrect. But sentence 2 sounds all right too. Does anyone have a rule or an opinion on this?-- #2 is OK because sometimes the line between instrument and agent is murky. Only when it is clear does the wrong preposition sound bad:
This would make sentences 1 and 3 correct, and 2 incorrect. But sentence 2 sounds all right too. Does anyone have a rule or an opinion on this?-- #2 is OK because sometimes the line between instrument and agent is murky. Only when it is clear does the wrong preposition sound bad:
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In the meantme, I changed sentence 2 to sentence 1. However, we would probably say,"This work was done by tamper-rammer." rather than, "...with...". Thanks for your reply.
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News story: Some armed burglars break into a home. The unarmed occupant surprises them. When the burglars flee, one of them drops his gun, which the occupant picks up. When the burglars fire at the occupant, he returns fire, killing one of them.
This was how one news outlet reported the story:
Deputies said a burglary suspect was shot dead by his own gun after dropping it while t
This was how one news outlet reported the story:
Deputies said a burglary suspect was shot dead by his own gun after dropping it while t
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