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Prepositions after verbs

Grant to or grant by?

Use grant to for the person or organisation receiving something. By is not normally selected by grant, but it can introduce the giver in a passive sentence.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with grant?

Grant to is the standard pattern for the recipient of permission, money, or rights. Grant by is not a standard verb pattern, although by may appear separately in passive clauses to name the authority that granted something.

The scholarship was granted to Elena.
The licence was granted by the city council.
They granted access to all employees.
Permission was granted to the research team.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
grant something to + person/organisation

Giving rights, money, or permission

Use to for the recipient of what is granted.

The foundation granted funding to local schools.
They granted access to outside consultants.
2
grant + person + something

Using an indirect object without a preposition

Grant can take a direct and indirect object together.

The judge granted the company a delay.
The university granted her a scholarship.
3
granted by + authority

Naming the giver in passive clauses

By can introduce the authority or organisation responsible for the grant.

The permit was granted by the local government.
The request was granted by the committee unanimously.
4
grant permission to + verb

Allowing someone to do something

Use permission to followed by an infinitive clause.

The school granted permission to hold the event on campus.
Officials granted permission to expand the building.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
grant to
The charity granted aid to several families.
Correct for the recipient of aid, rights, or permission.
grant by
The licence was granted by the ministry.
By names the granting authority in a passive structure, not a fixed pattern after grant.
grant someone something
The board granted him additional funding.
Common alternative without to.
grant permission to
They granted permission to publish the report.
Standard pattern for allowing an action.

Common mistakes

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

Using by as the recipient pattern

Use to for the receiver of something granted.

✕ They granted funds by the hospital. ✓ They granted funds to the hospital.

Confusing active and passive structures

By usually appears in passive clauses.

✕ The agency granted by the permit. ✓ The permit was granted by the agency.

Missing the indirect object

Grant often needs a clear recipient.

✕ The committee granted additional support. ✓ The committee granted additional support to the team.

Using an incorrect infinitive structure

Permission is followed by to plus verb.

✕ They granted permission opening the store. ✓ They granted permission to open the store.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The city granted funding ___ the museum.
2. The permit was granted ___ the transport authority.
3. The board granted her ___ extension.

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Frequently asked questions

Is grant by ever correct?

Yes, but usually only in passive clauses such as granted by the court. It does not normally mean giving something to someone.

Can I omit to after grant?

Yes. You can say grant someone permission or grant someone a loan.

What kinds of things can be granted?

Common objects include permission, access, funding, licences, visas, rights, and requests.

gain, from, gain, by "gamble on" or "gamble with"? "gasp for" or "gasp in"? "gather in" or "gather at"? "gaze at" or "gaze into"? generate by, from, in, for or at? get to, into, in, out or on? giggle at, to, about, like or with? "give to", "give in" or "give by"? glance at, through, around, over or in? glare at, from, after, before or in? glean from, by, in, at or for?

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