Understanding When To Use “Between” and “Among” in a Sentence

Use between when you want to refer to two or more entities that are separate and distinct. Use among when referring to things that aren’t distinct or individual, but instead collective.

Between and among are prepositions. There’s a widely used grammar rule that guides writers to use between when referring to two people or things (a conversation between Jack and Sally), and among when there are more than two (a conversation among a group of friends).

Although this guideline can sometimes be helpful, it’s not always so clear-cut. We’ll explain why below.

When To Use “Between”

When discussing two or more elements that are separate and individual (and often equal), use between.

As illustrated by the examples above, between can be used whether you’re referring to two nouns or more, as long as there is a clear distinction between them.

When To Use “Among”

However, when you’re referring to something collectively or imprecisely, use among.

Between and among are also used differently when it comes to location and spatial relationships. Between is used when referencing a point between two places, or when something is in the middle of something.

Among implies that something is surrounded by something else.

Remember the Difference Between “Among” and “Between”

If you were to change the example above to read I found myself lying between the flowers, it would imply that you are laying down between flowers, as opposed to being surrounded by them.

Additionally, among (and its variation amongst) is often used to portray that someone or something is in or in the midst of a group.