The words by and buy are often confused because they have the same pronunciation but different meanings. In this article, we explain the difference between them.
By means near or next to when used as a preposition.
Buy means to obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods when used as a verb.
A good way to remember the difference is By only has two letters so they have to be side-BY-side.
The Difference Between By vs Buy
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. They are easy to confuse.
By is a preposition that means "near or next to, along, through the medium of."
Buy is a verb that means "to obtain something in exchange for money or goods, to purchase." It can also be a noun that refers to something that has been bought.
Should it be 'by the fact that' or 'buy the fact that'?
The right expression is 'by the fact that'. These phrases are often confused because they are homophones.
Should I use 'by means of a' or 'buy means of a'?
The correct expression is 'by means of a'. These phrases are often confused because they are homophones.
Is the phrase ', and by the' or ', and buy the'?
The right phrase is ', and by the'. These phrases are often confused because they have the same pronunciation but different meanings.
Is the expression 'by the end of' or 'buy the end of'?
The right expression is 'by the end of'. These phrases are often confused because of their similar sound.
Should I use 'by the United States' or 'buy the United States'?
The correct expression is 'by the United States'. These phrases are often confused because they are homophones.
Is the right expression 'buy in to' or 'by in to'?
The right phrase is 'buy in to'. These phrases are often confused because they are homophones.
Some synonyms of by are: past, along, next to, near.
Some synonyms of buy are: acquire, purchase, shop for, pay for.
Be confident about grammar
Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.
