Sign In Get Started
Preposition before noun

Prepositions with “actor”

“By actor” and “with actor” can both be natural in context, while “of actor” is limited and usually needs another noun before it.

Quick answer

Which phrase is natural?

“By actor” appears when identifying who performed something, especially in passive structures. “With actor” means together with or involving an actor. “Of actor” is uncommon alone but appears in phrases such as “the career of the actor.”

The role was played by an actor from Brazil.
She worked with an actor on the film.
The biography of the actor became a bestseller.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
by + actor

Identifying who performed an action

Use “by” after passive verbs to name the actor or performer.

The character was portrayed by a famous actor.
The speech was read by an actor at the event.
2
with + actor

Showing collaboration or company

Use “with” for working together or appearing together.

She trained with an actor before filming.
The interview with the actor was published online.
3
of + actor

Showing possession or relation

“Of actor” is usually part of a larger phrase and commonly takes an article.

The manager of the actor handled negotiations.
A photograph of the actor appeared in the newspaper.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
by actor
The role was performed by an actor from Canada.
identifies the performer of an action
with actor
She appeared with an actor in the advertisement.
together with or involving an actor
of actor
“Of actor” alone is uncommon; English usually uses “of the actor” or another noun before it.
shows relation or possession in a larger phrase
interview with an actor
I listened to an interview with an actor.
conversation involving the actor

Common mistakes

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

Using “of actor” without an article

English usually needs “the” or another determiner here.

✕ photo of actor ✓ photo of the actor

Using “by actor” without a passive structure

“By” usually follows a passive verb in this context.

✕ I talked by an actor ✓ I talked with an actor

Confusing “with” and “by”

“With” means together with; “by” identifies the performer.

✕ The song was sung with an actor ✓ The song was sung by an actor

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The scene was performed ___ a professional actor.
2. She appeared in a film ___ a famous actor.
3. A photo ___ the actor was posted online.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Is “by actor” grammatical?

Yes, especially after passive verbs such as “played by an actor” or “written by an actor”.

When do we use “with actor”?

Use it for collaboration, company, or interaction, usually as “with an actor” or “with the actor”.

Why does “of actor” sound incomplete?

English usually requires an article or another noun, such as “photo of the actor” or “career of the actor”.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"? "of advantage" or "to advantage"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account