by when or by which

[jasonlulu_2000]

Richard is expected to return in January, by _____ everything should be ready.
A. which B. when

I will go for A since which refers to January.
Or I think:
Richard is expected back in January, when everything should be ready.

Am I right?

What is a native's opinion?

Jason

[Barb_D]

Richard is expected to return in January, by _____ everything should be ready.
A. which B. when

I will go for A since which refers to January.
Or I think:
Richard is expected back in January, when everything should be ready.

Am I right?

What is a native's opinion?

Jason

I don't like either of the choices.


I would use one of these:
Richard is expected to return in January. By then, everything should be ready.
Richard is expected to return in January, by which time everything should be ready. - Not great, but better than "by which"
Richard is expected to return in January, when everything should be ready. (Your suggestion, which was good.)

[5jj]

I'd say, "by which time".

"By when" is just about possible; "by which" is not.

[5jj]

Richard is expected to return in January, when everything should be ready. (Your suggestion, which was good.)

No. Jason's suggstion was 'by when', which is not good, in my opinion.

[Barb_D]

Or I think:
Richard is expected back in January, when everything should be ready.

His second suggestion.

[jasonlulu_2000]

Thanks!

Just one more question: Could I say "by January everything should be ready"?

If yes, why couldn't I say "by which"? I want to use "which" to replace "January" as a noun. Like "We met in January, in which a lot of weird things happened". Here, which =January.

Or are you going to tell me that if we write a sentence using "by", then we tend to say "by which time" instead of "by which"?

[Barb_D]

Thanks!

Just one more question: Could I say "by January everything should be ready"?

If yes, why couldn't I say "by which"? I want to use "which" to replace "January" as a noun. Like "We met in January, in which a lot of weird things happened". Here, which =January.

Or are you going to tell me that if we write a sentence using "by", then we tend to say "by which time" instead of "by which"?

I can only tell you what is natural. Perhaps 5jj can give you the reasons why. (Or tell you that it sounds okay in BrE.)

We met in January, a month in which a lot of weird things happened.
We met in January, when a lot of weird things happened.

Yes, we say "by which time" instead of "by which."

[5jj]

His second suggestion.

Sorry.

[Barb_D]

No worries. It's not like you did something really egrejus. Like speeled something worng or typed it wrogn like I usually do :)

Edited to add: Note to learners - this post is full of intentional errors. Do not emulate.