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Prepositions after verbs

Experience in or experience by?

Experience in is common when talking about skill or knowledge in a field. Experience by is usually not used after the verb experience.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct after experience?

Use experience in to talk about knowledge, work, or skill in a subject or activity. Experience by is generally not idiomatic after the verb experience. By may appear separately in a sentence to show method or agency, not as the verb’s fixed preposition.

She has experience in project management.
The team gained experience in customer support.
We experienced delays by train during the storm.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
experience in + field

Talking about knowledge or skill in an area

Use experience in with subjects, industries, or activities.

He has experience in finance.
They are looking for candidates with experience in teaching.
2
experience + noun

Talking about events or situations directly

The verb experience is often followed directly by a noun without a preposition.

She experienced severe stress last year.
We experienced technical problems yesterday.
3
experience by + method or transport

Using by as a separate adjunct

By can describe method, transport, or means in the sentence, but it is not selected by experience.

Tourists experienced the city by boat at sunset.
Students experienced the lesson by video call from home.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
experience in
She has experience in marketing.
Idiomatic for skills, work, or knowledge in a field.
experience by
They experienced the coastline by car.
By describes method or transport, not a fixed verb-preposition combination.
experience with
Do you have experience with this software?
Common for familiarity with tools, systems, or people.
experience of
His experience of city life was stressful.
Common as a noun phrase, especially in formal English.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using experience by for skills

Do not use by after experience to describe expertise or background.

✕ She has experience by accounting. ✓ She has experience in accounting.

Adding an unnecessary preposition

The verb experience often takes a direct object.

✕ We experienced about many issues. ✓ We experienced many issues.

Confusing experience in and experience with

In usually refers to fields or activities; with often refers to tools or systems.

✕ He has experience in this software. ✓ He has experience with this software.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She has experience ___ customer service.
2. We experienced the tour ___ bus.
3. The company experienced ___ delays last week.

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Frequently asked questions

Is experience by ever correct?

It can appear when by describes method or transport, such as experienced the city by bike. It is not the normal preposition for skills or expertise.

Should I say experience in or experience with?

Use experience in for fields or activities and experience with for tools, systems, or specific objects.

Can experience be used without a preposition?

Yes. The verb often takes a direct object, such as experience problems or experience joy.

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