When to use ‘among’ and ‘between’?

1. Between

Use “between” when talking about two things or people.

It can also be used for distinct individual items, even if there are more than two, when you are thinking individually.

Examples:

• She divided the cake between me and you.
• The river flows between the mountains.

2. Among

Use “among” when talking about more than two things or people in a group, especially when not mentioning them individually.

Examples:

• He shared the chocolates among the children.
• There is a lot of excitement among the students.

If you can count each item separately, use between.

If it’s a group or collective, use among.