🧠 TOEIC Trap Spotlight: By vs With

It’s your first day at a new office.

You get an email from your boss:

“The files were sent by the client.”

Later, someone tells you:

“The files were sent with an attachment.”

You pause.

Both sentences sound fine.
But they’re using completely different logic.

And this is where the TOEIC test gets you.

You don’t need to remember grammar rules.
You just need to feel the difference in who did it — and how it was done.

🚨 THE TRAP

TOEIC gives you a sentence with a blank.

“The message was written ___ the manager.”

And two choices:

  • by

  • with

Here’s the trick: both look natural.
But only one fits the sentence’s logic.

If you focus on what sounds OK, you’ll fall for the trap.
You need to know whether the sentence is about:

  • who did it, or

  • what was used

That’s how you break this trap.

🧠 COACHING BREAKDOWN — WHO vs TOOL

Let’s keep this simple.

When you use by, the sentence is about who did something.

“The email was sent by Mr. Sato.”
→ Mr. Sato is the person who did the action.

When you use with, the sentence is about what was used to do it.

“The email was written with a laptop.”
→ The laptop is the tool.

This trap shows up a lot in passive sentences.
If the blank comes after “was” or “were,” you’ll need to ask:

  • Is it telling me who did this? → use by

  • Is it telling me what helped do it? → use with

Most people miss this because they don’t slow down enough to check.

🏋️ TOEIC-Coached Questions

Let’s apply the logic with full TOEIC-style coaching.

①
The report was prepared ___ the assistant.

  • A) by

  • B) with

✅ Answer: A
We’re talking about who prepared it → the assistant = person → use by

②
The proposal was printed ___ the colour printer.

  • A) by

  • B) with

✅ Answer: B
Not a person — it’s a tool. The printer helped do the action → use with

③
The photos were taken ___ a smartphone.

  • A) by

  • B) with

✅ Answer: B
Smartphone = thing used → use with

④
The contract was signed ___ the director.

  • A) by

  • B) with

✅ Answer: A
The sentence is telling us who did it → the director = person → use by

📝 4 Practice Questions

Try these. Think: Who vs Tool?

①
The announcement was made ___ the CEO.

  • by

  • with

②
The invoice was created ___ accounting software.

  • by

  • with

③
The documents were approved ___ the manager.

  • by

  • with

④
The presentation was prepared ___ PowerPoint.

  • by

  • with

✅ Answer Key + Coaching

① Answer: by
CEO = person → use by

② Answer: with
Software = tool → use with

③ Answer: by
Manager = person → use by

④ Answer: with
PowerPoint = tool → use with

🧠 Final Coaching Recap

This trap is not about advanced grammar.
It’s about noticing what the sentence is focusing on.

Use by when the sentence tells you who did the action.
Use with when it shows what was used to do it.

Slow down.
Say it in your head.
Ask: “Is this about a person or a tool?”

That’s how you pass TOEIC — one logic win at a time.

🧠 SEO FAQ — By vs With What is the difference between “by” and “with”? “By” shows who did the action. “With” shows what was used to do the action. When should I use “by” in a sentence? Use “by” when you’re talking about a person or group that did something. Example: The report was written by the manager. When should I use “with”? Use “with” when you want to show the tool, method, or thing that helped do the action. Example: The report was written with a laptop. Can I use “by” and “with” in the same sentence? Yes. Example: The photo was taken by the assistant with a smartphone. Why does TOEIC test “by” and “with”? Because many learners mix them up. TOEIC checks if you know the difference between who did it and what was used. Is “with” always used for tools? Usually yes. “With” shows the object or method used to do something. Is “by” only used with people? “By” is mostly used for people, teams, or companies that take action. It’s common in passive voice. Can I say “The email was sent with the client”? Not usually. That sounds like the client was included. If the client sent it, say “by the client.” Is it correct to say “by using a pen”? Yes, but that’s a different structure. “By using a pen” means how something was done. “With a pen” is more common and simpler. How can I know which one is correct in TOEIC questions? Check the focus of the sentence. Is it about who did the action? → use “by”. Is it about what was used? → use “with”.