By vs From
By and From are two words that are often confused due to the close similarity between them when it comes to their meanings and connotations. Strictly speaking there is some difference between the two words.
Grammatically speaking the words ‘by’ and ‘from’ are used as prepositions. The word ‘by’ indicates the instrumental case whereas the word ‘from’ indicates the ablative case. This is the main difference between the two words.
The word ‘by’ indicates the instrument of an action. Observe the two sentences:
1. It is told by him.
2. The book was sold by the shop-keeper.
In the first sentence the word ‘by’ indicates the instrument of the action namely the person involved in the action of ‘speaking’. On the other hand in the second sentence the preposition ‘by’ indicates the instrument of the action namely the ‘shop-keeper’ who did the action of ‘selling the book’.
On the other hand the word ‘from’ indicates the ‘point from where the movement started’ as in the sentences:
1. Fruits fell from the trees.
2. He came from the village in the morning.
In the first sentence the word ‘from’ indicates the ‘point from where the fruits fell’, namely, the trees. In the second sentence the preposition ‘from’ indicates ‘the point from where the person came’ namely the ‘village’ (by colyer source). This is the main difference in the usages of the two prepositions, namely, ‘by’ and ‘from’.
It is interesting to note that both the words ‘by’ and from’ are used in questions as well as in the sentences:
1. By whom you were questioned?
2. Where do you come from?
In the first sentence the word ‘by’ is used in a question. Similarly in the second sentence also the preposition ‘from’ is used in a question. Thus the word ‘by’ is used in other forms of question such as ‘by what?’, ‘by which?’ and the like.