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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Another teaching doubt
Another teaching doubt
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viggia (F)
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Another teaching doubt
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Hello everyone.
Can someone tell me about the rule of adding "BY" before a verb in the -ing form  ????
1. "I�m going to ask you by using this forum" .....
2. "Complete the sentences using the words from the box" .....
Thank you very much for your help.
Ciao from Italy
Viggia |
24 Oct 2008
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marta73
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Well, I think that after a preposition you have to use a gerund.
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24 Oct 2008
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goodnesses
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"By" is used in many ways.
1. As a preposition of movement:
--I went by her.
2.In the passive followed by a noun or noun phrase to tell who the doer is:
--The thieve was caught by some honest citizens.
3.To express the means (by +noun) or manner of doing something (by+verb+ing) :
--I am going by train.
--Do it by choosing the correct form.
--He entered by jumping over the gates.
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24 Oct 2008
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kprichorniana
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I agree with both responses. The general rule says to use gerunds after prepositions, and by followed by gerund verbs expresses how something is done.
"I�m going to ask you by using this forum"
In this second example though, does the speaker just choose not to use by.
"Complete the sentences using the words from the box"
and would it be equally correct to say :
"Complete the sentences by using the words from the box"
or
"I�m going to ask you using this forum"
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24 Oct 2008
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viggia (F)
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Thank you all for your precious answers  .
Yes Kprichorniana, this was actually my doubt.
As Goodness put it: 3.To express the means (by +noun) or manner of doing something (by+verb+ing) :
Eventually, should we say : "Complete the sentences by using the words from the box" ??????
As I remember having been corrected by a native speaker about that.
But I keep seeing +ing verbs without "by" in textbooks for EN courses. Unfortunately, I cannot ask this person to clarify it......
Any mother tougue / native speaker araound that might ........solve this kind of little  "dilemma" ?
Ciao
Viggia |
25 Oct 2008
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