B1–B2
Transport Phrases — By Bus, By Train, On the Bus
Master article use in transport expressions. Zero article with 'by + transport'; 'the' or 'a' when the preposition changes to 'on' or 'in'.
Transport Phrases: When 'By' Removes the Article
The by + transport pattern is one of the most reliable zero-article rules in English: no article is ever used when 'by' expresses the mode of travel. The underlying principle is that 'by' frames the vehicle as a method or category, not a specific object. Learner corpus data identifies 'by the train', 'by the car', 'by the bus' as high-frequency errors at B1 level, especially among learners from languages where articles are obligatory with vehicle nouns.
By + Transport = No Article
She goes to work by bus every day.
He came by taxi from the airport.
We travelled by train from Paris to London.
They flew — no wait: they went by plane to New York.
He came by taxi from the airport.
We travelled by train from Paris to London.
They flew — no wait: they went by plane to New York.
Other Prepositions: Article Returns
When the preposition changes from 'by' to 'on' or 'in', the article reappears because the vehicle is now treated as a specific object.
by bus (no article — method) ↔ on the bus (article — specific bus)
by car (no article — method) ↔ in the car (article — specific car)
by taxi (no article) ↔ in a taxi (article — one particular taxi)
by car (no article — method) ↔ in the car (article — specific car)
by taxi (no article) ↔ in a taxi (article — one particular taxi)
Common Mistakes
✗ We went to Paris by the train. → ✓ We went to Paris by train.
✗ She travels by the plane to France every summer. → ✓ She travels by plane to France.
✗ He came by a taxi. → ✓ He came by taxi. (or: He came in a taxi.)
✗ She travels by the plane to France every summer. → ✓ She travels by plane to France.
✗ He came by a taxi. → ✓ He came by taxi. (or: He came in a taxi.)