How to Use Among and Between Correctly

The English language has a rich vocabulary, but it can be hard to decide when to use words that are similar in meaning. The many grammatical rules and exceptions can complicate matters. Two commonly confused words are "among" and "between." There are some subtle and not-so-subtle rules you can follow to help you use "among" and "between" correctly when writing or speaking.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Count the number of people, places or things being discussed in the sentence. The simplest rule of thumb is to use "among" if there are 3 or more people, places or things and to use "between" if there are only 2 people, places or things. For example, say "John and Jane split the check between them," but "We divided the chores among the 6 of us."

2. Read the sentence again. Determine whether the people, places or things are involved in a direct relationship. If there is one-to-one correspondence, use "between" even when more than two people, places or things are being discussed. For example, "There is significant disagreement on this issue between Germany, France and Austria."

3. Identify any singular collective nouns. Use "among" in this situation. For example, "Responsibility is shared among the faculty."

4. Decide whether a location or position is the point of the sentence. If so, "between" is the appropriate choice. For example, "Walk to the picnic area between the swimming beach, the boathouse and the playground.

5. Consider whether "amongst" should be used. This term is more common in British English than in American English. "Among" and "amongst" are technically interchangeable, but "amongst" is often used to suggest motion. For example, "We shared the candy amongst the children." However, the same sentence can read "We shared the candy among the children" and still grammatically sound.