Both words until and by indicate
“any time before, but not later than.”
To understand the difference in usage between until
and by, it’s necessary to distinguish between
those verbs that express a continuous action, such as stay, live,
walk, drive, sleep, etc., and those that express an action performed
once, such as arrive, leave, return, finish, pay, crash, etc.
Use until (NOT by) with verbs that
express continuity, as “be away” (stay in another place)
does in the first sentence in the question. Until may
be a preposition as in sentences (a), (b), and (c), or a subordinating
conjunction, as in sentences (d) and (e):
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(a)
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They lived in a small apartment until
June 1998.
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(b)
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We're going to drive until dark.
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| (c) |
Harry was so tired that he slept until noon.
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(d)
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The baby didn’t walk until he was 18 months
old.
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(e)
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Did you really speak only French until
you were ten?
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These verbs refer to a continuous action, as opposed to those verbs
referring to one action performed at a specific point of time.
Use by (NOT until) with verbs referring
to one action performed at a specific point of time, in affirmative
sentences and in questions. “Be back” (return to the
original place) is an example of this kind of verb in the second sentence
in the question. Here are other examples:
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(f)
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You have to finish by August 31.
(August 31 is the last day you can finish; you may finish before
this date.)
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(g)
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Jack had left his office by 5:15,
so he didn't know about the burglary.
(Jack left his office at some time before 5:15 or at 5:15. 5:15
is the last possible time he could have left.)
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| (h) |
If the plane arrives by noon, we'll have lunch
at the new restaurant near the airport.
(The plane will have arrived at some time before noon, or at noon
at the latest.)
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(i)
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Do we have to pay our taxes by
April 15?
(Is April 15 the last date when we can pay our taxes?)
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However, with negative verbs referring to a point
of time, we can also use until. Sentences (f) through
(i) are changed to their negative forms in (j) through (m) below, and
may also take until, with a slightly different meaning:
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(j)
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You don't have to finish until August 31.
(You can stay in the situation of not having finished for all
the time up to August 31, but that is the last day you will have
to finish.)
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(k)
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Jack didn't leave his office until 5:15, so
he knew about the burglary.
(Jack stayed in the situation of not leaving his office during
all the time before 5:15, but at 5:15 he left the office)
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| (l) |
Even if the plane doesn't arrive until noon,
I'll still be there.
(The plane is in the air, and might arrive at noon, not before.)
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(m)
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We don’t have to pay our taxes until April
15.
(We don’t have to pay our taxes for all the time before
April 15; on April 15 the situation changes, and we have to pay
our taxes.)
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Consider these negative sentences (j) through (m) as referring to a
continuous state: a situation of not “being” something
or not “doing” something, which continues up to a
certain point, the time that is mentioned. At that certain point, an
action – finishing, leaving, arriving, paying in these
sentences – takes place.
The slight difference in meaning of (j) through (m) in contrast with
(f) through (i) is that in (f) through (i) the action of finishing,
leaving, arriving or paying may occur before the time mentioned,
whereas in (j) through (m) the action occurs at,
not before, the time mentioned.