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Prepositions after verbs

Prescribe by or prescribe in?

Prescribe does not usually form fixed combinations with by or in. These prepositions often belong to surrounding phrases.

Quick answer

Using prescribe with by and in

Use prescribe something or prescribe something for someone. By and in can appear after prescribe when they add method, location, or form information.

Doctors prescribed antibiotics for the infection.
The treatment was prescribed by a specialist.
The dosage is prescribed in the guidelines.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
prescribe + medicine

Naming a treatment

Prescribe commonly takes a direct object.

The doctor prescribed painkillers.
They prescribed rest after surgery.
2
prescribe for + patient

Stating who receives treatment

For introduces the patient or condition.

The doctor prescribed medication for anxiety.
3
prescribed by + person

Identifying the authority

By introduces the person or institution giving the prescription.

The drug was prescribed by her physician.
4
prescribed in + document

Referring to rules or texts

In introduces a document, law, or guideline where something is stated.

The procedure is prescribed in the regulations.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
prescribe by
The medication was prescribed by a cardiologist.
By introduces the person who prescribed something.
prescribe in
The limits are prescribed in the contract.
In introduces the document or place where something is specified.
prescribe something
The clinic prescribed antibiotics.
Standard direct-object pattern.

Common mistakes

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

Using prescribe by as an active verb pattern

By normally follows a passive structure.

✕ Doctors prescribe by strict rules. ✓ Doctors prescribe according to strict rules.

Using prescribe in before a patient

Use for with patients or conditions.

✕ She prescribed medicine in the child. ✓ She prescribed medicine for the child.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The medicine was prescribed ___ a hospital doctor.
2. The dosage is prescribed ___ national guidelines.
3. The physician prescribed antibiotics ___ the patient.

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Frequently asked questions

Is prescribe by correct?

Only when by introduces the person who gave the prescription, usually in passive sentences.

Can prescribe be followed by in?

Yes, when in introduces a document, law, or location.

What is the most common structure with prescribe?

Prescribe something and prescribe something for someone are the main patterns.

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