Difference between Among and Between

 Between, among: meaning and use

We use between to refer to two things which are clearly separated. 

We use among to talk about things which are not clearly separated because they are part of a group or crowd or mass of objects:

 Example 

Our holiday house is between the mountains and the sea. 

(the mountains are on one side and the sea is on the other)

Example 

The ancient fountain was hidden among the trees. 

(surrounded by trees)

Between and prepositional phrases

Between is most often used to introduce a prepositional phrase which contains two singular or plural noun phrases:

Example 

There was a cyclist [prepositional phrase]between the car and the lorry.

Example 

I didn’t see any difference [prepositional phrase]between the real bags and the imitation bags.

 

We can also use between + pronoun when referring to two people or things:

Example 

I gave Yolanda and Lynn some money and told them to share it between them.

We can also use between, but not among, to connect times or numbers:

Example 

They lived in New York between 1998 and 2004.

Not: They lived in New York among 1998 and 2004.

Example 

What were you doing between 5.30 pm and 7.00 pm?

Nouns and verbs followed by between

The most common nouns often followed by between are: connection, difference, distinction, link, relationship:

Example 

Is there a connection between his arrival and her disappearance?

Example 

There’s a strong link between clean drinking water and reduced infant mortality.

The most common verbs often followed by between are: choose, differentiate, distinguish, divide:

[talking about judging a competition]

Example 

I didn’t want to have to choose between the singers.

Example 

Her money was divided between her son and her daughter.

Among meaning ‘surrounding, part of or included in’

We use among to suggest a sense of being a part of or surrounded by or included in something else. It is typically followed by a plural noun phrase:

Example 

She wanted to be among friends.

Example 

Among his books, we found some rare first editions.

Among others and among other things

In the phrases among others and among other things, among means ‘as well as’:

Example 

Her parents, among others, were worried about her travelling alone.

Example 

Among other things, I still have to pack.

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