Particle guide
Phrasal verbs with by
The particle by starts from one core idea — passing close to or alongside. Sink In groups its verbs by the recurring ways that idea plays out, so verbs that look unrelated line up into patterns.
27 phrasal verbs · 8 meaning groups
Passing
Something moves near a point and continues past it.
Just Enough
BY means you have just enough to manage. It is not a lot, but it meets the basic need.
Beside
Something stays near another thing.
Time Passing
Time passes the same way. Moments stream past and are gone.
Reserve
Move it just to one side, out of the main flow, to keep for later.
Guide
BY shows the thing that guides you: a rule, promise, name, or belief.
Obtaining
Something reaches your hands through an indirect or unexpected route.
Checking
An idea passes by another person so they can check it or give an opinion.
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice the by patterns in Sink In
The app turns each meaning group into short review cards: recognition, particle cloze, meaning-to-particle recall, and schema matching.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
