Difference Between Between and Among

Introduction

To excel in the English language, it is important to understand all its parts of speech properly. Between and Among are two examples of grammatical cases that may cause readers or speakers to become confused about when and how to utilize them. When we wish to express something between two or more people in a statement, we use the terms between or among. The words ‘between’ and ‘among’ are used as prepositions in a sentence as a part of speech. A preposition is a word or group of words used before a noun, pronoun, or phrase to connect people, places, objects, time, etc. These prepositions are used to separate two or more objects or persons in a sentence.

 We use ‘between’ when there is a relation that involves two choices or when we are referring to distinct, individual relationships or differences between two objects or persons. It is sometimes used even for more than two choices.

‘Among’ refers to being ‘in between or surrounding’ other objects. It is used for masses or groups that contain at least three people. We consider the items or people to be one group. It is usually used in situations that involve more than two choices.

Between vs Among

The main difference between the prepositions ‘between’ and ‘among’ is that the former is used while referring to something “in or into a space that divides at least two locations, individuals, or items”. Whereas we use ‘among’ when there are more than two options involving objects or people. Among may also be used when options are viewed as a group or mass.

Between- Used to separate two things

Among- Used to depict something being a part of a group or to choose between     more than two choices

Difference Between ‘Between’ and ‘Among’ in Tabular Form

Parameters of comparison	Between	Among
Definition	Between is used as a preposition in a sentence that includes two choices or to represent a point between two things or a space between them.	Among is used to convey the impression of being near or amidst a group of people. It is used when there are more than two choices in a sentence.
Usage	It is used in the case of choices involving two objects or persons. To separate things.	It is used in the case of choices involving more than two objects or persons.
Relationship	Distinct and individual	Non-distinct and there is no sense of individuality. It talks about being a part of a group.
Examples	My pen is between my notebook and book. My house lies between the shop and my friend’s house. Choose between these two ice cream flavors.	John sat among other students. There is no unity among our team members. Riya distributed toffees among her classmates.

What does the word ‘Between’ mean?

Between is used as a preposition in a sentence when we wish to convey that something is situated between two individuals, locations, items, etc. This term carries the idea of separation, or the time that separates two incidents or actions, etc. It can also be used when there are more than two different things involved. When we say something is distinct, we indicate that it does not belong to a collection or group. It depicts a one-to-one relationship in a sentence.

How and when to use ‘Between’

Used when something is in the middle of two things or two groups of things

For Ex-

1. My car is parked between the Honda and the Toyota.
2. I am sitting in between two of my friends.
3. There is a river between the mountains.

For something in the middle, greater than the first number but less than the second.

For Ex-

1. Nisha’s height is between 160 to 165 centimeters.
2. The candidates should be between the age of 23 to 25.
3. The average weight of our family is between 50 to 65 kg.

To distinguish between two various periods or events.

For Ex-

1. I will meet you between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
2. Don’t forget to take your medicines between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm.
3. I visit the dentist every two months, or sometimes in between.

To imply sharing between two individuals, locations, or things:

For Ex-

1. The relationship between the boss and the employees is good.
2. The customer care service is good between the company and their customers.
3. There will be new scheduled flights between New Delhi and Mumbai.

To state a preference.

For Ex-

1. Jay got to choose between a movie outing and a cricket match.
2. Shreya must choose between the pink and the blue dress.
3. Students have to choose between the Science and Arts stream.

It is also used as links or is related.

For Ex-

1. This flight flies between Hyderabad and Delhi.
2. The train runs between Ahmedabad and Rajasthan.             

In some cases, we can also use between when more than two components are present in a sentence. But they should be distinct from each other.

For Ex-

1. She had to choose between high heels, sneakers, boots, and sandals for her new footwear.
2. You have the choice between these blue, pink, and green T-shirts.
3. The meeting was only between the CEO, COO, and their assistants.

It is also used to provide a sense of direction or location. It describes a specific direction.

For Ex-

1. She walked between the buildings.
2. Henry jumped between the two roads.
3. Sameer is walking between the crossroad.

We can use the preposition between for any number of components, provided that each element is separate and distinct. Between typically refers to a location that is in the middle of another object or that is constrained by another object.

Examples-

• Choose between these lipstick shades.
• I will be in the office between 5 pm and 7 pm.
• Our resort is between a forest and a river.
• The teacher divided the tasks between the monitor and the vice monitor of the class.
• The bookmark is kept between my book.
• The coffee mug is kept between the plate and the spoon.
• The AC temperature fluctuates between 25 and 28 degrees.
• You can only choose between the green and yellow colors.
• The secret is between you and me only.
• The teacher divided the cookie between Rohan and Kunal so that they don’t fight.

What does the word ‘Among’ mean?

When referring to something that is part of a bigger group, we use the phrase "among" in our sentences. This word is typically followed by a plural noun. It is also used as a preposition in a sentence, just like ‘between’. When describing a link or relationship between three or more non-distinct items, especially when considering a collective relationship, the word AMONG is used. Mass nouns or group nouns are frequently used with this.

Sometimes we also use the term ‘amongst’ in place of ‘among’, as it is a more formal and less commonly used term.

How and when to use ‘Among’

To describe something in the Centre or surrounded by other objects:

For Ex-

1. I am the only vegetarian among my friends.
2. This is my favorite one among that pile of books.
3. The butterfly is flying among the flowers.

To depict something which is a part of a group or a unit.

For Ex-

1. She is popular among her colleagues.
2. The information spread quickly among the village.
3. He felt nervous among his new co-workers.

Being a member of a group.

For Ex-

1. Among other members of the team, she knows how to lead.
2. Among his friends, he’s the only one who knows how to play a piano
3. The infection spread quickly among the community.

To signify a grouping or decision with three or more participants.

For Ex-

1. She has to choose among these five ice cream flavors.
2. Mr. Sharma divided his property among his children equally.
3. He distributed the chocolates among the poor children.

The word gives us an unclear idea of the path or a route unlike the word ‘between’. It does not follow a defined path.

For Ex-

1. He was walking among the trees.
2. She lives in a house among the mountains on a hill.
3. Kiran is popular among her classmates.

In some exceptional cases, we also the term ‘amongst’ instead of ‘among’ as it is more formal and less common in writing.

For Ex-

1. Reema wanted to spend more time amongst her relatives.
2. Jake is amongst the top students in the class.
3. She feels comfortable amongst her friends and family.

We often use this preposition in situations that are non-distinct and the word "among" is used to describe ambiguous or group relationships between objects. It describes the number of various choices involved in a statement.

Examples

• The airplane crashed among the buildings while landing.
• There is increased competition among the real estate businesses.
• Among our friends, no one likes that Mexican restaurant.
• The old cave is hidden among the mountains.
• There was a conflict between the council members.
• She distributed the clothes among the community of needy people.
• There were many good athletes among the candidates, but my friend won.
• The leaders started arguing among themselves.
• She only feels comfortable among her close friends.
• Don’t forget to distribute our promotional flyers among the public.

Main Differences Between ‘Between’ and ‘Among’ in Points

1. According to grammatical principles, we use the preposition between to denote something that is in the middle of something else in a phrase. Whereas among can also be used as a preposition, it is typically employed to indicate that something is part of a group or that there are more than two options available.
2. When comparing or relating two people, things, or locations, the word "between" is used frequently. But when referring to two or more people, we can also use between as long as the names of the entities are specified clearly. While “among” is used when there needs to be a comparison between two or more objects or when we want to link several objects together.
3. When we are talking about one-to-one relationships of distinctive nature, we use the term ‘between’. On the contrary, when referring to relationships in general rather than particular ones, we use the word among. They are mostly indistinct.
4. Examples for ‘Between’-

• She has to choose between singing and dancing.
• The car crashed between the trees.
• The post office is between the bank and the school.

5. Examples for ‘Among’-

• The sheep are hiding among the trees.
• There was a contract exchange between the  companies.
• I was among the crowd, cheering for my friends.

Conclusion 

To polish your grammatical skills, it is important to memorize the basic rules of grammar and how to accurately use various parts of speech such as prepositions, adjectives, etc. correctly in a sentence. As it might be confusing at times to distinguish between these terms and use it correctly. Thus, the simplest approach to recall their differences is to remember that while we use ‘between’ when talking about two people, we only use ‘among’ when talking about more than two people or things. This article gives you an outline of the basic definitions of ‘between’ and ‘among’, how and when to use them in a sentence, the main differences between their usages, and various examples to understand the concept clearly.

They both are used as prepositions in the English language to compare or relate two or more things. The key difference between the both is that ‘between’ is applied to distinct objects in one-to-one interactions. Whereas, the word "among" refers to undefined or group interactions between objects.

An accurate description of a situation or place can be drawn with the use of the words "between" and "among."

Examples for ‘Between’- Mary is sitting between her friends Rachel and Lily.                                          My book is kept between the cup and the other book.                                          My car is parked between the barber’s shop and a tree.

Examples for ‘Among’- Her laptop is on her desk among her other essentials. Among all the students in her class, Pearl got the highest grades in the math examination. Kelly is the most studious student among her friends.

References

• https://www.grammarly.com/blog/between-among/  
• https://languagetool.org/insights/post/word-choice-between-vs-among/  
• https://www.trinka.ai/blog/between-vs-among-what-is-the-difference/  
• https://writingexplained.org/between-vs-among-difference  
• https://grammarist.com/usage/among-between/  
• https://www.toppr.com/guides/english-grammar/confusing-words/among-vs-between/  
• https://www.woodwardenglish.com/lesson/between-vs-among/  
• https://7esl.com/between-vs-among/