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Prepositions after verbs

How to use relay with prepositions

Relay is commonly followed by to when information is passed to someone. In and by may appear in sentences with relay, but they usually have other grammatical roles.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows relay?

Relay to is the standard pattern for passing information to someone. Relay by is uncommon as a direct pattern, though by can introduce a method. Relay in usually refers to location or context, not a fixed combination.

Please relay to the manager that I called.
The message was relayed by email.
They worked in relay during the race.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
relay to + person or group

Passing information to someone

Use to for the receiver of information or messages.

Could you relay to the team that the meeting is delayed?
She relayed to me everything she heard.
2
relay by + method

How information is transmitted

By can describe the method used to relay information.

The update was relayed by satellite.
Instructions were relayed by radio.
3
in relay

Working in sequence

In relay is a separate expression meaning in turns or stages, especially in sport or technical contexts.

The runners competed in relay teams.
The pumps operate in relay to manage pressure.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
relay to
He relayed the news to the staff.
standard pattern for passing information
relay in
They competed in relay events.
in usually belongs to a separate phrase, not directly after relay as a verb
relay by
The warning was relayed by phone.
by introduces the communication method
relay through
The signal was relayed through a satellite.
through shows an intermediate channel

Common mistakes

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

Using in after relay for a receiver

Use to for the person receiving information.

✕ She relayed the message in me. ✓ She relayed the message to me.

Using by for the receiver

By usually introduces the method or agent, not the recipient.

✕ He relayed the news by the director. ✓ He relayed the news to the director.

Confusing relay the noun and relay the verb

In relay is natural with the noun relay, especially in sports.

✕ They relayed in teams. ✓ They competed in relay teams.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Please relay the information ___ the client.
2. The message was relayed ___ radio.
3. The athletes competed ___ relay teams.

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Frequently asked questions

Is relay to correct?

Yes. Relay to is the standard way to show who receives information.

Can I say relay by email?

Yes. By can introduce the method used to communicate something.

Is relay in a normal verb pattern?

Usually no. In often belongs to another phrase such as in relay or in a race.

radiate-from-into-around-to, with "raise in" or "raise by"? rake in, through, across, at or over? rally in, around, to, behind or on? "rape by" or "rape in"? ratify by, in, on, according or as? ravage by, from, on, through or with? rave about, at, from, to or before? reach for, by, at, to or into? react to, with, in, by or like? read about, in, on, through or for? "realize in", "realize at" or "realize by"?

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