Disagreement Between/Among
Disagreement Between/Among: Which One Should You Use?
When it comes to choosing the right word to express disagreement, many people often get confused between « between » and « among. » While these two words are often used interchangeably, they actually have specific contexts in which they should be used.
« Between » is used to refer to two entities, while « among » is used when referring to three or more entities. For example, if two people have a disagreement, you would use « between », such as « There is a disagreement between John and Jane about the direction of the project. » However, if there are three or more people involved in the disagreement, you would use « among », such as « There is disagreement among the team members about the best approach to take. »
Another important thing to note is that « between » is used when the entities are specific and can be identified, while « among » is used when the entities are more general. For example, « The disagreement is between the CEO and the CFO, » compared to « There is disagreement among the members of the board. »
It`s also important to keep in mind that the word « between » can be used in situations where there are more than two entities, as long as they can be divided into distinct pairs. For instance, « The disagreement is between the marketing team and the design team » is acceptable because the entities can be divided into two distinct pairs.
In conclusion, while « between » and « among » are often used interchangeably, it`s important to use the right word depending on the context of the sentence. Use « between » when referring to two entities that can be identified, and « among » when referring to three or more entities, or when the entities are more general. By keeping these rules in mind, you can avoid making common grammatical errors and ensure your writing is clear and concise.