with/by

对于初学者作上面的区分,是符合教学法的。但是,学生阅读范围扩大之后,便会发现上面的区分是不精确的。因为 with 不仅可表工具,也可表无生命的施动者,另一方面,by 不仅可以表施动者,也可表工具、手段或方式。请分析下面的实例:

1. $\$left\{ \begin{array}{ll}\text{The window had been broken with a stone.}\\ \text{The window had been broken by a stone. (CGEL)} \end{array} \right. 窗户被一块石头打碎了。

2. During the World Cup our streets were filled with football fans. (LEG) (请对比: Football fans filled our streets...) 在举行世界杯比赛期间, 我们的街道上挤满了球迷。

3. The pavement on each side was crowded with smiling people. (Priestley) (请比较: Swimmers crowded the beaches.) 两边的人行道上挤满了微笑的人们。

4. The roads are packed with people. (ELD) (请比较: The crowd packed the gallery.) 各条路上都挤满了人。(例2-4表明, with 在这里并不是表示工具)

5. Are these goods made by machinery? (Palmer) 所有这些产品都是(用)机器造的吗?

6. Coal has been replaced by oil.

(a) Oil has replaced coal. 煤被石油所代替(石油代替了煤)。

(b) People have replaced coal by oil. 人们用石油代替了煤。

但是，由于 with 在被动句中常常表示工具，而 by 在被动句中常常表示施动者（施事），因此，当 by 短语和 with 短语表示无生命体时，用 with 或用 by 在意义上有时是有区别的：

(a) My car had been damaged by the branch of a tree. 我的汽车被一个树枝刮伤了。

1. { (b) My car had been damaged with the branch of a tree. (CGEL) 有人用一个树枝损伤了我的汽车。(含有施动者把树枝用作工具的意思)}

(a) He was killed by a falling stone. 他被一块掉下来的石头砸死了。(自然原因)

2. {b) He was killed with a knife. (LEG) 他被人用刀杀死了。(暗含有施动者把刀子用作工具的意思)}