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Mr. Tom Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Till VS By
Hi
Could you please tell me if I understand the meaning correctly?
A - John, until/till what time will you be free?
B - Well, I'm free till 9. Then I have my tuition.
[The speaker knows that John is free now. He means to ask what time onward John will be busy.]
A - John, by what time will you be free?
B - Well, I've my tuition now. I'll be free after 9.
[The speaker knows that John is busy now. He means to ask what time onward John will be free.]
Thanks,
Tom
Could you please tell me if I understand the meaning correctly?
A - John, until/till what time will you be free?
B - Well, I'm free till 9. Then I have my tuition.
[The speaker knows that John is free now. He means to ask what time onward John will be busy.]
A - John, by what time will you be free?
B - Well, I've my tuition now. I'll be free after 9.
[The speaker knows that John is busy now. He means to ask what time onward John will be free.]
Thanks,
Tom
Top answer
Sorry, but if 'tuition' means 'class', it is so in only some Englishes. In AmE, 'tuition' means money paid for attending school. A - John, until/till what time will you be free?
- Sorry, but if 'tuition' means 'class', it is so in only some Englishes.
- In AmE, 'tuition' means money paid for attending school.
- A - John, until/till what time will you be free?
- B - Well, I'm free till 9.
- Then I have my class .
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4 Answers
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Sorry, but if 'tuition' means 'class', it is so in only some Englishes. In AmE, 'tuition' means money paid for attending school.
A - John, until/till what time will you be free?
B - Well, I'm free till 9. Then I have my class.
A - John, what time will you be free?
B - Well, I've my class now. I'll be free after 9.
A - John, until/till what time will you be free?
B - Well, I'm free till 9. Then I have my class.
A - John, what time will you be free?
B - Well, I've my class now. I'll be free after 9.
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Thanks, MM.
One more question:
We very often use the phrase "By what time" in our neck of the woods.
By what time will he be back?
By what time will the car be ready?
How did this phrase sound to your native ears? Redundant? Wrong?
Tom
One more question:
We very often use the phrase "By what time" in our neck of the woods.
By what time will he be back?
By what time will the car be ready?
How did this phrase sound to your native ears? Redundant? Wrong?
Tom
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In AmE you cannot use "tuition" in this sense. As for the question at hand, these are my choices:
John, until what time will you be free? -- Also "up to what time" as a slightly informal option.
Well, I'm free until 9. Then I have ____
John, when / (at what time) will you be free?
Well, I have my ____ now, but I'll be free after 9.
John, until what time will you be free? -- Also "up to what time" as a slightly informal option.
Well, I'm free until 9. Then I have ____
John, when / (at what time) will you be free?
Well, I have my ____ now, but I'll be free after 9.
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Mr. TomWe very often use the phrase "By what time" in our neck of the woods.By what time will he be back?By what time will the car be ready?How did this phrase sound to your native ears? Redundant? Wrong?You don't need "by" in either of these questions, but they are not wrong with "by," nor would they be wrong with "at."
The difference between "at"
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