Tool or means
What do we use to do it?
Betekenis
A tool or means is what someone uses to carry out an action. It can be an object, a body part, a way of traveling, or a way of sending information. Languages express this with separate words, endings, or context; some have no special marker for it. Tool or means identifies what is used, while How the tool is marked looks at the words or endings that connect it to the action.
Zo herken je het
Ask what is used to carry out the action, rather than who does it or who benefits from it.
In de taal die je leert
English commonly uses with to name a physical tool. It often uses by for a way of traveling or sending information, as in by train or by email. The choice depends on how the tool or means is described, so there is no single preposition for every case.
Mia opened the door with a key.
With names the physical tool used to open the door.
Please send the photos by email.
By email names the way the photos are sent.
We got there by train.
By train describes the way of traveling; train has no article here.
Learners whose language uses the same marker for physical tools and travel may overuse with. Learners whose language uses endings may leave out the English preposition or choose one without checking the whole expression.