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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Between vs Among
"Between sleeping, work and working out, I don't have much free time."
"Among sleeping, work and working out, I don't have much free time."
Which is correct? I've been told that "between" should be used when describing individual, similar terms, as in this example: "He had to choose between Harvard, Yale and Stanford." This is acceptable since the three terms are related. But for my first example, the terms aren't related. However, for the first example, "among" just doesn't sound correct.
Can someone clear this up for me? Thanks!
"Among sleeping, work and working out, I don't have much free time."
Which is correct? I've been told that "between" should be used when describing individual, similar terms, as in this example: "He had to choose between Harvard, Yale and Stanford." This is acceptable since the three terms are related. But for my first example, the terms aren't related. However, for the first example, "among" just doesn't sound correct.
Can someone clear this up for me? Thanks!
Top answer
Only between works in your example. The idea here is that you don't have much free time between any two of the given items. (that is, you don't have much free time between sleeping and work but also between work and working out as well as working out and sleeping) between is used when you can establish a one-to-one relationship between any two items.
- Only between works in your example.
- The idea here is that you don't have much free time between any two of the given items.
- (that is, you don't have much free time between sleeping and work but also between work and working out as well as working out and sleeping) between is used when you can establish a one-to-one relationship between any two items.
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4 Answers
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Only between works in your example. The idea here is that you don't have much free time between any two of the given items. (that is, you don't have much free time between sleeping and work but also between work and working out as well as working out and sleeping)
between is used when you can establish a one-to-one relationship between any two items.
between is used when you can establish a one-to-one relationship between any two items.
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"He had to choose among Harvard, Yale and Stanford." Three (or more) equal choices.
"He had to choose between Yale and Stanford." Two equal choices.
"Between sleeping, work and working out, I don't have much free time."
The time between sleeping and work, work and working out, and all possible sequences (the time that is left over) is very sho
"He had to choose between Yale and Stanford." Two equal choices.
"Between sleeping, work and working out, I don't have much free time."
The time between sleeping and work, work and working out, and all possible sequences (the time that is left over) is very sho
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Between sleeping, work and working out, I don't have much free time.
He had to choose between Harvard, Yale, and Stanford.
The "rule" that between should be used strictly with two items is bologna. You can go by that as a style if you want, though. So I wouldn't call among wrong.
He had to choose between Harvard, Yale, and Stanford.
The "rule" that between should be used strictly with two items is bologna. You can go by that as a style if you want, though. So I wouldn't call among wrong.
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Aspara GusSo I wouldn't call among wrong, …… in the three-choice example, of course.
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