Between vs. Among

                                                                 Between vs. Among

We're going to talk about the difference between the words “between” and “among.” You may have noticed that I said that we were going to talk about the difference between the words “between” and “among.” I used the word “between” because I was talking about a choice that involves two distinct words.

Many people believe “between” should be used for choices involving two items and “among” for choices that involve more than two items. That can get you to the right answer some of the time, but it's not that simple.

Here's the deal: you can use the word “between” when you are talking about distinct, individual items even if there are more than two of them.

You could say:

E.g. "She chose between DN Degree College, Badri Vishal Degree College, and RPPG College" because the colleges are individual items.

The Chicago Manual of Style describes these as one-to-one relationships. Sometimes they are between two items, groups, or people, as in these sentences:

E.g. Choose between Sure-shot Academy and Erudite Academy.

E.g. Let's keep this between you and me.

Other times they can be between more than two items, groups, or people as in these sentences:

E.g. The negotiations between the cheerleaders, the dance squad, and the flag team were going well despite the confetti incident.

E.g. The differences between English, Chinese, and Arabic are significant.

On the other hand, you use “among” when you are talking about things that aren't distinct items or individuals; for example, if you were talking about colleges collectively you could say:

E.g. Kulveer chose among the Army schools.

If you are talking about a group of people, you also use “among”:

E.g. Fear spread among the hostages.

E.g. The scandal caused a division among the fans.

E.g. Shubham and Vikas are among the residents featured in the newsletter .

Part of a Group

“Among” can also indicate that someone is part of a group or left out of a group, as in these
examples:

E.g. Suraj was glad to find a friend among enemies.

E.g. Shivaji felt like a stranger among friends.

E.g. Ajay was later found living among the natives.

It's not as simple as using between for two things and among for more.

Location

“Between” and “among” can also tell the reader different things about location or direction. Think about the difference between these two sentences:

E.g. Deepti walked between the trees.

E.g. Mahima walked among the trees.

“Deepti walked between the trees” gives you the idea that he stayed on the path; she either walked between two trees or was on a route that was surrounded by trees. On the other hand, “Mahima walked among the trees” gives you the idea that she wandered around a park or forest. She may have had an endpoint in mind, but it doesn't sound as if she went from point A to point B on a defined path.

“Among” Versus “Amongst”

People sometimes ask about the difference between “among”and “amongst.” Both words mean the same thing, but “amongst” is the older form and is more commonly used in Britain than in the United States . It's considered archaic and overly formal or even pretentious in American English. The only time I can think of when it would be appropriate for an American writer to use it would be in fiction set in a different era or world.

Something like:

Is it truly safe to walk amongst the peasants, my lord?

-Another theory-

Some books (Indian writers) tell that ''amongst'', not ''among'', should be used before the words starting with vowel sounds. However, both can be used before the words starting with consonant sounds. According to them:

He is among his friends. (correct)

He is amongst his friends. (correct)

He is among our friends. (incorrect)

I am amongst our friends. (correct)