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Preposition after verb

Issue by, issue in, or issue to?

Use issue to when giving or officially providing something to someone. Issue by and issue in are not standard fixed combinations after the verb issue.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows issue?

The standard pattern is issue something to someone. By and in may appear in a sentence for other reasons, such as naming the issuer or a location.

The bank issued new cards to all customers.
Passports are issued to citizens.
The company issued a warning to staff members.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
issue something to + person

Giving or distributing officially

Use issue to when documents, permits, or items are officially given.

The office issued permits to local businesses.
2
be issued to + group

Passive form for official distribution

This passive pattern is common in formal writing.

New uniforms were issued to the team.
3
issue + statement/order

Using issue without a following preposition

Issue can take a direct object alone.

The agency issued a statement.
4
issued by + organisation

Naming the issuer

By introduces the organisation or person that produced something.

The certificate was issued by the university.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
issue to
The clerk issued the documents to the applicants.
Standard pattern for giving or distributing officially.
issue by
The licence was issued by the local authority.
By belongs to the passive structure and identifies the issuer, not a fixed pattern issue by.
issue in
The problem was discussed in the report issued in June.
In June refers to time. Issue in is not a standard fixed combination after the verb.
issue with
She raised an issue with the manager.
A different meaning of issue as a noun meaning problem or concern.

Common mistakes

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

Using issue by as an active pattern

Use issue to for recipients.

✕ They issued by all employees new badges. ✓ They issued new badges to all employees.

Using issue in for recipients

Use to when something is given to someone.

✕ The office issued passports in travellers. ✓ The office issued passports to travellers.

Forgetting the recipient preposition

To introduces the person receiving something.

✕ The bank issued new cards customers. ✓ The bank issued new cards to customers.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The company issued laptops ___ new employees.
2. The report was issued ___ the finance department.
3. Which sentence uses issue correctly?

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Frequently asked questions

What does issue to mean?

It means officially giving or distributing something to someone.

Is issue by correct?

It is correct in passive structures such as issued by the government, where by names the issuer.

Can issue be used without a preposition?

Yes. You can say issue a warning, issue a report, or issue instructions.

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