identified by using vs using

Question

Hi~, everyone.Would you take a look at two sentences below?The distinction between this car and that car is identified using the diagnostic test.The distinction between this car and that car is identified by using the diagnostic test.Are they both correct meaning the same thing? If there were a different connotation, what is it?Many thanks in advance

Clive · Accepted Answer

You probably mean 'the difference', not 'the distinction'.

But really, I don't understand your intended meaning.
A diagnostic test usually finds mechanical problems.

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

youngbutstwo sentences below

I would not use either sentence.

The diagnostic test will [show / reveal] the difference between these cars.

CJ

Youngbuts · Answer

I think I have made wrong example sentences having made my question vague.

.
Would you take look at new ones?

We can identify the difference between these cars by using the test.
We can identify the difference between these cars using the test.

Are both possble or is just one acceptible? When I googled two phrase "identify the difference by using.." and "identify the difference using..", the latter has almost one hundred times more hits than the former. Most of all, what is puzzling me is whether the former is correct or it comes from non-native writers.
And if it could be acceptible, why native speakers prefer the second sentence not having 'by'. (I'm not so sure that it is really so.) Anyway, seeing the result from the internet, I was wondering what is the difference in their nuance.

P.S. Although I didn't check out, I'm guessing 'You can do it using this' is more common than 'You can do it by using this.'

CalifJim · Answer

youngbutsWe can identify the difference between these cars by using the test.
We can identify the difference between these cars using the test.

The first seems to me a clearer way of saying what you mean, or what I think you mean, anyway.

That's because the second one might mistakenly be interpreted as having in it, "these cars which use the test", i.e., a certain kind of cars. Not a likely interpretation, but it doesn't hurt to be as clear as you can be.

This problem doesn't occur when 'difference' comes before 'by using' or 'using' because it seems so much less likely that a difference would be using anything. I can't even guess why one version seems to be used more than the other except that the preferred version saves one word. I don't know if we can conclude anything significant about that.

Personally, I avoid both turns of phrase. 'with' can convey 'by using', so any mention of 'using' seems unnecessary.

We can identify the difference between these cars with this diagnostic test.

CJ

Youngbuts · Answer

Thank you so much for your clear explanation. From your comment I have learned so many things about how I should see English sentences.  <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/74.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/74.gif' alt='Emotion: bow'/>

identified by using vs using

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions