by its left

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by its left" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a position or direction relative to something on the left side. Example: "The painting was hung by its left edge, creating an interesting visual balance in the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

It is slightly larger than the holotype, and it could be clearly identified as Deinocheirus by its left forelimb, and therefore helped identify the earlier collected specimen as Deinocheirus.

Wikipedia

The owl was tied by its left wing to the branch with a piece of yellow string wrapped so tightly around its feathers its rescuers were forced to cut them off.

Independent

A Labour party led by its left flank is indeed potentially on the cusp of power, although a shambolic Tory government desperate to prevent such an outcome will hang on for as long as it can.

The Guardian - Opinion

The normalized MFCC features then pass a splicer which augments each frame by its left and right 4 neighboring frames.

EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing

The normalized MFCC features then pass a splicer which augments each frame by its left and right four neighboring frames.

EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing

By now, unless you live in a hole in the ground, you know that the new iPhone 4 apparently has some issues with dropping phone calls if you hold the phone by its left corner.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

But it was backed by its left-leaning successor and by all main political figures, academics, institutions and the Catholic church.

The Economist

AS IN Venezuela, education reforms in Ecuador, promoted by its left-wing president, Rafael Correa, have led to protests and tear-gas on the streets.

The Economist

Plans to impose a ban in the Netherlands under the country's previous centre-right coalition were shelved in 2012 when the government collapsed and was replaced by its left-wing rivals.

BBC

Continuing with the algorithm description, when the driver's face is detected, it is enclosed within a rectangle RI (region of interest) which is defined by its left-top corner coordinates and bottom-right corner coordinates, as can be observed in Figures 2(a), 2(b), and 2(c).

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

He single-handedly shot down the aircraft by causing its left engine to explode, and the plane crashed.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing spatial relationships, ensure that the context clearly defines what ""its"" refers to in the sentence to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using ""by its left"" when the reference point (""its"") is unclear or has not been previously established in the text. Always ensure the reader knows what the 'its' refers to before using this phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by its left" functions primarily as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun or verb by indicating the position of something relative to the left side of a specified object. Ludwig examples show its use in describing spatial relationships.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Academia

7%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "by its left" functions as a prepositional phrase to indicate position relative to the left side of an object. While grammatically correct, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is less common than alternatives like "on its left" or "to the left of it". Its usage spans across various contexts including news, science and wiki articles, but it is important to ensure the reference point is clear. When writing, consider the context and audience to determine if a more common alternative might be preferable for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to its left side

This alternative adds 'side' for clarity and uses the preposition 'to' instead of 'by'.

on its left

This alternative uses the preposition 'on' which is a common way to indicate position.

to the left of it

A common and straightforward alternative to indicate position.

at its left

This uses 'at' to specify a location relative to something's left.

on the left of it

This provides a more descriptive and slightly longer alternative.

adjacent to its left

This alternative uses 'adjacent' to specify a location that is next to the left side, adding more precision.

towards its left

Emphasizes the directionality towards the left of something.

leftward of it

This is a more directional alternative, specifying the direction in relation to the item.

in proximity to its left

Specifies a close nearness to the left of something, indicating closeness.

bordering its left

Suggests that something is directly next to the left side, acting as a border.

FAQs

How can I use "by its left" in a sentence?

Use "by its left" to describe the position of an object relative to another, specifying that it is located on the left side of the reference object. For example, "The statue was placed by its left side, near the entrance."

What's a simple substitute for the phrase "by its left"?

A simple substitute for "by its left" is "on its left", which is more common and equally clear.

Is it correct to say "on its left" or "by its left"?

Both "on its left" and "by its left" are grammatically correct, but "on its left" is more frequently used and might sound more natural to most readers.

When is "by its left" preferred over "to the left of it"?

"By its left" can be preferred when you want a more concise way of describing the position, especially when "its" refers to something previously mentioned in the sentence. Otherwise, "to the left of it" might provide more clarity.