Today I am going to share the homework correction quoted from my JLPT N3 course!
The student’s sentence is not correct. Can you find the mistake?

 

[Student’s sentence]

ボールペンによって名前を書いてください。

*ぼーるぺんによってなまえをかいてください

 

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[My correction]

ボールペンによって名前を書いてください。
→ボールペンで名前を書いてください。
Please write your name with a ballpoint pen.

 

While all instances of 〜によって that indicate a means can be replaced with 〜で, 〜によって is still appropriate for emphasizing a particular method.
It is common to write names with ballpoint pen, so you should use 〜で.
It might seem extreme, but if you want to write your name with something unconventional like chocolate or lipstick, you could use 〜によって.

 

e.g.
えんびつで名前を書いてください。
Please write your name in pencil.

口紅(くちべに)によって描(か)かれた絵(え)です。
This is a picture painted with lipstick.

チョコレートによって作(つく)られた家(いえ)です。
This is a house made of chocolate.

 

I hope my explanation helps you. 😊

In the JLPT course, all lessons come with homework, if you submit your homework, I will reply with corrections.
I can break down the Japanese grammar and point out mistakes, explaining the structure and nuances of Japanese in an easy-to-understand way.
You can also ask me any questions as much as you want. I will teach you until you get it!