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Prepositions after verbs

“Slay in” or “slay by” ?

Slay usually appears without a fixed preposition. By introduces the killer or cause, while in adds place or situation.

Quick answer

Using slay with prepositions

Use slay by mainly in passive structures to name the agent or cause. Use slay in when in gives location or event context.

The hero was slain by a dragon.
Several soldiers were slain in battle.
The knight slew the beast.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
slay by + agent

Naming the killer or cause

By identifies who or what caused the death.

He was slain by enemies.
The warrior was slain by an arrow.
2
slay in + event/place

Adding context or location

In introduces the place or situation where the killing occurred.

Many were slain in the war.
The prince was slain in the forest.
3
slay + object

Using slay directly with an object

Slay commonly takes a direct object without a preposition.

The monster slew the guards.
The hunter slew the wolf.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
slay by
The king was slain by assassins.
By names the killer.
slay in
Thousands were slain in combat.
In gives the event or location.
slay with
The beast was slain with a spear.
With introduces the weapon or instrument.

Common mistakes

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

Adding in before the object

Do not place the object after in when it is the thing directly killed.

✕ They slew in the prisoners. ✓ They slew the prisoners.

Using by for a weapon

By usually names the agent, not the instrument.

✕ The beast was slain by a sword. ✓ The beast was slain with a sword.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The dragon was slain ___ the knight.
2. Many soldiers were slain ___ battle.
3. The warrior slew ___ .

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Frequently asked questions

Is slay by grammatical?

Yes, especially in passive sentences such as was slain by enemies.

Can I say slain in battle?

Yes. In battle gives the context of the death.

Is slay common in everyday English?

Slay is literary or formal in the meaning of kill. Kill is more common in everyday use.

sack, by, sack, for, sack, from "sacrifice for" or "sacrifice to"? sail from, in, for, to or through? "salvage from" or "salvage in"? sanction by, for, in, with or according? satisfy with, by, in, about or after? "saturate with" or "saturate in"? save by, for, from, on or in? "say in", "say about" or "say to"? "scan for", "scan in" or "scan through"? "scar by" or "scar on"? scatter in, across, around, throughout or on?

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