by option

USAGE SUMMARY

'by option' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when giving someone a choice between two or more options. For example: "You can either take the train or take a bus, by option."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

We separately impute the missing union membership information for males and females applying Stata MI's "by" option.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

By default, the P value adjustment method selected was the "BY" option representing the "Benjamini, Hochberg, and Yekutieli" method.

BioMed Research International

We added a factor variable for the three periods (sum03, win03, and others) and performed local smoothing by specifying the "by" option for these three periods to control for the extreme peaks of death counts.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Intel Corp. : Option traders drove the semiconductor chip-maker to the forefront of our 'most active by option volume' market scanner today.

Forbes

Change the View by option to List, and change the View option to Primary Contacts.

The New York Times

That is double the contribution made by option grants in 1999.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

He suggested Wilkinson, 34, may be a stand-by option once his club commitments with Toulon were over.

BBC

Speaking as RAF jets took part in fresh strikes in Iraq, he said there was no "walk-on-by option" for the UK when it came to dealing with IS.

BBC

He also said there was "no walk-on-by" option in the battle against the "evil" Islamic State, adding that if the UK did not deal with them, "they will deal with us".

BBC

Citing attacks by IS on targets in Europe, and the growing number of foiled terror plots, he said the organisation "already declared war on us and there was no walk on-by option".

BBC

But specialists say the main contributors to investors' ire have been the implosion of Enron, reports of accounting and other scandals and the outrage aroused by option-inflated pay packages that lavish tens of millions of dollars on poorly performing executives.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a series of modifications or steps, use "option by option" to emphasize a gradual, step-by-step approach.

Common error

Avoid using "by option" when a simpler preposition like "through" or "via" would suffice. Overusing "by option" can make your writing sound unnatural and verbose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by option" functions as a prepositional phrase, often modifying a verb or noun to indicate that an action or state is determined or influenced by a choice or selection. It's used to specify that something is done based on a particular available option, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "by option" serves to specify that an action or determination is based on a choice or available option. It's grammatically correct, as Ludwig AI confirms, and commonly used across various contexts, including science, news, and formal communications. While versatile, it's important to consider simpler alternatives like "by choice" or "optionally" to maintain conciseness. Understanding these nuances ensures accurate and effective usage of "by option" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

by choice

Indicates selection based on personal preference, focusing on the act of choosing.

by selection

Emphasizes the process of choosing from a set of alternatives.

by preference

Highlights choosing based on what is liked or favored.

by means of a choice

More formal way to describe making a selection.

through a selection

Indicates a selection as a method or pathway.

via selection

Similar to 'through a selection', but slightly more concise.

by way of option

Describes using an option as a means to achieve something.

through option

Shorter version of 'through way of option'.

optionally

Adverbial form, indicating something is done as an option.

alternatively

Suggests another possibility or choice.

FAQs

How can I use "by option" in a sentence?

You can use "by option" to indicate that something is selected or determined by a choice. For example, "The setting can be adjusted "by option" in the menu".

What is a good alternative to "by option"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "by choice", "through selection", or simply "optionally".

When is it appropriate to use "option by option"?

"Option by option" is useful when describing a process where changes are made incrementally, considering each option individually. For example, "We modified the recipe "option by option" to achieve the desired taste".

Is "by option" always the best way to express a choice?

Not always. Simpler prepositions like "through" or "via" might be more appropriate in some contexts. Consider the clarity and conciseness of your sentence when choosing between "by option" and alternative phrasings.