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Prepositions with nouns

By accident

By accident is the standard expression for something unintentional. Of accident is not standard in modern English.

Quick answer

Which phrase should you use?

Use by accident to mean unintentionally. Do not use of accident in normal modern English.

I deleted the email by accident.
She called him by accident late at night.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
by accident

Describing something unintentional

Use by accident after a verb or clause.

He broke the vase by accident.
2
accident at + place

Location of an accident

Use at for the place where an accident happened.

There was an accident at the junction.
3
accident with + vehicle/object

Involving something

With can introduce the thing involved in the accident.

She had an accident with her bike.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
by accident
I sent the message by accident.
Standard expression meaning unintentionally.
of accident
The phrase of accident is not standard in this meaning.
Not used for unintentional actions in current English.
on purpose
He did it on purpose.
Opposite meaning to by accident.

Common mistakes

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

Using of accident

Modern English uses by accident.

✕ I took your bag of accident. ✓ I took your bag by accident.

Confusing by accident and on accident

By accident is standard internationally. On accident is informal regional English.

✓ She opened the file by accident.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. I erased the photo ___ accident.
2. He spilled coffee ___ purpose.
3. Choose the standard phrase.

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Frequently asked questions

Is on accident wrong?

It is informal and regional. By accident is the standard choice in formal and international English.

Can accident be countable?

Yes. We say an accident, a car accident, or several accidents.

What is the opposite of by accident?

The usual opposite expression is on purpose.

"behind bar" or "of bar"? "beyond description" or "of description"? "by boat" or "of boat"? "by chance" or "of chance"? "by default", "in default" or "of default"? "by extension", "of extension" or "for extension"? "by lot" or "with lot"? by, of, for, in or agreed-upon definition? by, of, in, into or to category? by, of, in, via or on telephone? by, of, on, for or in bus? by, of, to, with or from professor?

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