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Prepositions after verbs

Punish for or punish by

Punish for gives the reason for a punishment. Punish by introduces the method or means of punishment.

Quick answer

Punish for vs. punish by

Use punish for to state the offence or behaviour. Use punish by to explain how someone is punished.

The player was punished for dangerous play.
The school punished students by removing privileges.
He was punished for arriving late repeatedly.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
punish for + action

Giving the reason for punishment

Use punish for to identify the behaviour or offence.

Drivers can be punished for speeding.
She was punished for breaking the rules.
2
punish someone by + method

Explaining the method of punishment

Use punish by before the action used as punishment.

The coach punished the team by cancelling practice.
Parents should not punish children by humiliating them.
3
punish with + penalty

Naming a specific penalty

With introduces the penalty itself.

The offence is punishable with a fine.
They punished him with extra duties.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
punish for
She was punished for cheating.
states the reason for punishment
punish by
They punished him by limiting his access.
states the method used
punish with
The court punished the offence with a heavy fine.
states the penalty
punishable by
The crime is punishable by imprisonment.
common legal pattern describing a possible penalty

Common mistakes

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

Using punish by for the offence

By introduces the method, not the reason.

✕ He was punished by theft. ✓ He was punished for theft.

Forgetting the object before by

Punish by usually needs the person affected before the method.

✕ The teacher punished by giving extra homework. ✓ The teacher punished the class by giving extra homework.

Confusing punish with and punish by

With names the penalty itself; by introduces an action or method.

✕ They punished him by a fine. ✓ They punished him with a fine.

Using punish for with a method

For should introduce the offence or behaviour.

✕ The coach punished the team for cancelling practice. ✓ The coach punished the team by cancelling practice.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The athlete was punished ___ using banned substances.
2. The manager punished staff ___ reducing their bonuses.
3. The offence was punishable ___ a large fine.

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Frequently asked questions

Can punish by appear in passive sentences?

Yes, but it is less common. For example: He was punished by being excluded from the team.

What is the difference between punish for and punish with?

Punish for gives the reason. Punish with names the penalty.

Is punish by common in legal English?

Legal English more often uses punishable by, as in punishable by imprisonment.

pack-with-in-into-for, on paint in, on, with, by or for? "park in" or "park at"? "partake in" or "partake of"? pass through, by, on, in or to? pave with, in, by, for or to? pay for, to, by, in or on? "peddle by" or "peddle to"? "peek at" or "peek into"? "peel off" or "peel for"? "pee on" or "pee in"? "peer into", "peer through" or "peer at"?

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