English Grammar

Between and Among

We use between to say that somebody or something is between two or more clearly separate objects.

• The letter B comes between A and C.
• The Mediterranean Sea is between Europe and Africa.
• He shared his money between his wife, his daughter and his son.

We use between, not among, after difference.

• What are the main differences between crows, rooks and pigeons?

Among

We use among when somebody/something is in a group or a mass of people or things which we do not see separately.

• The mother sat among her small children.
• The rich merchant divided his property among his sons.

Among can mean ‘one of’, ‘some of’ or ‘included in’.

• Among those present was the Mayor.
• The Amazon is among the longest rivers in the world.

Search the Dictionary of Practical English Usage

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

Show Full Index Enter your search terms Submit search form   Web www.perfectyourenglish.com

Subscribe to our feed