Difference Between Among and Between

Among and between are two prepositions that often confuse many English speakers. The main difference between among and between is that among is used to talk about things which are not properly stimulating because they are a part of a group or a mass noun whereas between is used to talk about things that are clearly separated.

Among – Meaning and Usage

Among is a preposition; it is equivalent in meaning to be surrounded by or in the middle of. Among basically has three meanings. Among can refer to,

Situated in the middle of a group of things or people

Don’t forget that you are among your countrymen.

He walked among the gravestones to find her grave.

We walked among the apple trees.

Being a member or members of

Sharks are among the most dangerous animal species of the world.

She was among the first women to vote.

There is honor among thieves.

A division or choice between three or more people or things

His house was divided among his three daughters.

This decision to divide the house caused a division among the relatives.

As seen from the above examples, among indicates the idea of being among a group. Among is often followed by a plural noun.

Between – Meaning and Usage

Between is both a preposition and an adverb. Since we are comparing between with another preposition, we are only looking at its function as a preposition in this article. Between is used to describe something in the middle of something.

Alice is standing my mother and Jane’s sister.

The distance between point A and point B cannot be calculated.

The link between the two concepts is a fine one.

He calculated the difference between his income and expenditure.

You have to choose between imprisonment and fine.

He travels daily between Colombo and Galle.

Why can’t you understand the difference between right and wrong?

As seen from these examples, the preposition between uses two or more separate and distinct, individual things. The two words that act as the boundary to the thing in the middle should always be distinct and separate. This is the main difference between among and between. When there is a comparison, difference between things, you should always use between.

It is also important to note that between can be used with more than two things, contrarily to the common misconception that it is always used with two things. It can be used with three or even more things as long as they are distinct and separate.