Yindii English Doctor -- Questions and Answers for May, 2001

Question

I want to knoen how difference beteween BY and VIA and how to use.

Answer

these words can mean the same thing when used to mean "by way of."
"I went to the store via the expressway" means that the route I took to get to the
store was the expressway; I used the expressway to get to the store.
"I traveled to the store by bus" means I used the bus to get to the store.

"By" can also mean "passed" or "next to" in other sentences: "He sat by (next to) me";
"I went by (past) Cheryl's house on the way home." In these contexts,
you cannot substitute "via" because "via" always means "by way of"
or "by means of"; "by," on the other hand, has other meanings in addition to this meaning.

"I sent the letter via airmail" or "I sent the letter by airmail."