傳統的文法規則說，在被動結構中，accompany 後面若接人要使用介系詞 by，若接事物則使用介系詞 with，前者意為「陪同，陪伴」(escort)，後者意為「伴隨，帶有，配有」。所以，你應該說 The candidate was accompanied by six burly bodyguards. (這位候選人由六名魁梧的保鏢陪同) 或 He was accompanied by his father. (他由他的父親陪同) 或 The salmon was accompanied with a delicious salad. (鮭魚配上美味的沙拉)。
然而，by 卻經常被用在 accompany 意為「伴隨，帶有，配有」的句子中，而這項用法在文法上也站得住腳。因此，現今的文法規則是：在被動結構中，accompany 後面若接人大多使用介系詞 by，若接事物則可使用介系詞 with 或 by，如 A skin rash may be accompanied with/by fever. (出疹子時可能會有發燒的現象)；His speech was accompanied with/by gestures. (他演講時附帶做著手勢)。眾所周知，by 所引導的片語往往代表相關主動句的主詞，如 The salmon was accompanied by a delicious salad. 這個被動句可改為主動句 A delicious salad accompanied the salmon.。此外，with 也可用在主動句中，如 His speech was accompanied with gestures. 這句可改為 He accompanied his speech with gestures.。由於 accompany 是及物動詞，它在主動句中甚至可以不用任何介系詞，如 Gestures accompanied his speech.。
除上述外，accompany 還意為「為…伴奏，為…伴唱」：The pianist accompanied her singing. (那位鋼琴家為她的歌唱伴奏)；Her mother accompanied her on the piano. (她的母親為她作鋼琴伴奏)。