between
between — preposition
1. in the area with one person, place, or thing on each side
in the area with one person, place, or thing on each side
A narrow path runs between the rice fields and the river.
between + place and place
Mina stood between her brothers in the family photo.
The cat slept between two warm pillows on the sofa.
A small cafe sits between the bank and the post office.
- stand between
- sit between
- between the bank and the post office
- path between
- amid
more often used when several things surround something, not two clear sides
- among
used with groups rather than a clearly named pair
- in the middle of
an everyday phrase that can be less exact about the two sides
- outside
shows that something is not in the separated area
Grammar Patterns
between + person/place/thing + and + person/place/thing
Usage Note
Most often names the two sides with 'and'. It is common after verbs of position or movement such as stand, sit, walk, or run.
Common Mistakes
2. at a level above one number or amount and below another
at a level above one number or amount and below another
The jacket costs between sixty and eighty dollars online.
between + number and number
Owen sleeps between six and seven hours on school nights.
In Taipei, today's temperature stayed between 18 and 22 degrees.
The village lies between 800 and 900 meters above sea level.
- between 18 and 22 degrees
- between sixty and eighty dollars
- between six and seven hours
- between 800 and 900 meters
- from ... to ...
states the whole range rather than placing something inside it
- approximately
gives one rough figure, not lower and upper limits
Grammar Patterns
between + number/amount + and + number/amount
Usage Note
Usually appears before prices, ages, temperatures, distances, and similar measurements. The normal pair is 'between ... and ...', not 'between ... to ...'.
Common Mistakes
3. during the stretch of time after one point and before another
during the stretch of time after one point and before another
Our village bakery closes between Christmas and New Year every winter.
between + event and event
Nadia called me between lunch and her afternoon class.
The baby slept between midnight and three o'clock.
Staff usually clean the town hall between the afternoon and evening concerts.
- between Christmas and New Year
- between midnight and three o'clock
- between lunch and class
- between the two concerts
- during
used with one named period rather than two end points
- throughout
stresses the whole period instead of the boundaries
Grammar Patterns
between + time/event + and + time/event
Usage Note
Used with clock times, dates, meals, classes, holidays, and events. Unlike sense 1, it marks a time interval, not a physical space.
4. used when the same thing is shared, divided, or owned by several people or group
used when the same thing is shared, divided, or owned by several people or groups
The coach divided the training time between defense and attack.
divide + object + between A and B
We share one laptop between the four of us at home.
The prize money was split between the two winning teams.
passive: be split between
The babysitter's pay is shared between both families each month.
- divide between
- share between
- split between
- shared between both families
- among
common when several people or things are involved, especially without listing each one
- shared by
a paraphrase often used before the owners
- divided among
focuses more on giving separate parts to each person
- for
can mark one person or group's share only
Grammar Patterns
divide/share/split + noun phrase + between + people/things
be shared between + people/things
Usage Note
Common after verbs such as 'share', 'divide', and 'split'. Distinguish from sense 5, where the noun names an event like a talk or match rather than something being distributed.
Common Mistakes
5. used for a talk, fight, agreement, or game that includes all the people or group
used for a talk, fight, agreement, or game that includes all the people or groups named
Talks between the hospital nurses and managers lasted all afternoon.
event noun + between A and B
The final match between Brazil and Japan starts at eight.
An argument between the brothers woke the whole house.
The trade deal between Formosa Foods and Sun Peak failed in March.
- talks between
- match between
- argument between
- deal between
Grammar Patterns
talk/argument/match/deal + between + people/groups
Usage Note
Usually follows a noun for an event or state involving the named sides. Distinguish from sense 4, which is about sharing or dividing something rather than the activity itself.
6. used after words of choosing to name the options you may take
used after words of choosing to name the options you may take
Ella could not choose between the red coat and the blue one.
choose between A and B
We must decide between driving home and staying overnight.
Many young parents choose between daycare fees and a summer trip.
The choice between surgery and rest worried Liam all week.
choice between + option and option
- choose between
- decide between
- choice between
- between the red coat and the blue one
Grammar Patterns
choose/decide between + option + and + option
choice between + option + and + option
Usage Note
Natural when the alternatives are named or clearly understood. If only one thing is mentioned, English usually uses the verb alone without 'between'.
Common Mistakes
7. used for a link, relationship, or service joining several people, places, or thi
used for a link, relationship, or service joining several people, places, or things.
A narrow bridge between the two islands reopened before the holiday.
bridge between two places
Doctors at NTU found a clear link between teenage sleep and memory.
link between A and B
Daily flights between Taipei and Seoul start again next month.
service between two places
Trust between Coach Lin and the players grew after winter camp.
- bridge between two islands
- link between sleep and memory
- flights between Taipei and Seoul
- trust between players and coaches
- connecting
close in meaning, especially for roads, bridges, or services
- linking
often used when the connection is active or functional
- related to
works best for abstract facts or ideas, not physical routes
- separating
shifts the focus from connection to division
Grammar Patterns
link between A and B
relationship between A and B
flights between A and B
Usage Note
Common after nouns such as 'link', 'relationship', 'bridge', and 'flight'. Distinguish from sense 8: this sense focuses on the connection itself, not movement from one side to the other.
Common Mistakes
8. used for travel or transfer that goes from one of two places or people to the ot
used for travel or transfer that goes from one of two places or people to the other.
The shuttle bus runs between the station and the science park.
run between A and B
Nina walked between the kitchen and the garden all afternoon.
move between two places
Order slips passed quickly between the front desk and kitchen.
pass between two points
A small boat carries guests between the beach and the island.
- run between the station and the science park
- walk between the kitchen and the garden
- pass between the front desk and the kitchen
- carry guests between the beach and the island
- from ... to ...
states the two endpoints directly, but does not stress the repeated route between them
- back and forth between
fits repeated movement more strongly
- stay at
means remaining in one place instead of moving across two points
Grammar Patterns
run between A and B
walk between A and B
carry or pass between A and B
Usage Note
Common with verbs of movement or transport such as 'run', 'walk', 'carry', and 'pass'. Distinguish from sense 7: here the main idea is going from one side to the other, not the connection itself.
Common Mistakes
9. used for something that stands as a dividing line and keeps each side apart.
used for something that stands as a dividing line and keeps each side apart.
A low stone wall between the gardens keeps the dogs apart.
wall between A and B
There is a thick glass screen between the nurse and visitors.
screen between two sides
The fence between our farm and the road fell in the storm.
A red line between the two boxes shows where the paper should fold.
line between two parts
- wall between the gardens
- screen between the nurse and visitors
- fence between our farm and the road
- line between the boxes
- dividing
emphasizes the line or object that splits two sides
- separating
a broad paraphrase for physical boundaries
- connecting
focuses on joining the two sides instead
Grammar Patterns
wall between A and B
fence between A and B
line between A and B
Usage Note
Usually follows a noun such as 'wall', 'fence', 'screen', or 'line'. Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is the object making the divide, not a position in the middle space.
Common Mistakes
10. used when several people or groups act together and their work creates the resul
used when several people or groups act together and their work creates the result.
Between us, we lifted the heavy table into the truck.
Between us, ... for combined effort
Between the two teams, they raised enough money for new uniforms.
Between A and B, ... for shared result
Between staff and parents, the school fair earned $8,000.
Between the rescue boats, they brought everyone safely back to shore.
- between us, we lifted
- between the two teams, they raised
- between staff and parents
- between the rescue boats
- alone
shows one person doing the action without help
Grammar Patterns
Between us, ...
Between A and B, ...
Usage Note
Often appears at the start of a clause, especially in patterns like 'Between us' or 'Between the two teams'. Distinguish from sense 4: this sense is about a result produced together, not something shared among people.
Common Mistakes
11. used to include several tasks or factors together when explaining a result.
used to include several tasks or factors together when explaining a result.
Between cooking dinner and washing dishes, Ken missed the whole game.
between + -ing activities
Between phone calls, emails, and visitors, the nurse skipped lunch.
between + list of demands
Between fixing the sink and painting the gate, Dad was busy all weekend.
Between school, piano lessons, and basketball practice, Jamal fell asleep early.
- between cooking dinner and washing dishes
- between phone calls, emails, and visitors
- between fixing the sink and painting the gate
- between school and basketball practice
- considering
common when you mean 'if you take all these things into account'
- with
a more informal way to introduce combined pressures, as in 'With school and work, ...'
Grammar Patterns
Between X and Y, ...
Between X, Y, and Z, ...
Usage Note
Usually comes before a list of two or more activities, duties, or pressures. It introduces their combined effect, not movement between separate places.
Common Mistakes
between — adverb
1. in the middle, with something on each side or with one event before and another
in the middle, with something on each side or with one event before and another after.
Two blue tents stood by the lake, with our bikes between.
with + noun + between after two stated items
Breakfast was at seven and practice at nine, with study time between.
Gita hung two photos on the wall and placed a clock in between.
fixed phrase: in between
A small gate opened to each field, with a muddy path between.
Two meetings filled the afternoon, with a quick coffee between.
- in between
- in the middle
plain and common, especially for position in space
- midway
often used for a point in a trip, process, or period
- in the meantime
fits only time, not physical space
Grammar Patterns
in between
with + noun + between
Usage Note
Usually comes after a noun or after 'in' when the two sides or times are already known from the context. Distinguish from the preposition senses, which are followed directly by the two points: 'between the bank and the cafe'.
Common Mistakes
Synonym discussion
Sense: preposition/1
For the basic space sense, 'between' is the normal choice when something is in the gap that separates two named sides: 'the cafe between the bank and the post office.' 'Among' is better when something is inside a larger group rather than set off by two clear sides: 'among the trees.' 'Amid' is more formal and often appears with abstract or mass nouns, as in 'amid confusion' or 'amid smoke.' 'In the middle of' can replace 'between' in some everyday sentences, but it is less exact when English wants two endpoints or a fixed pair. Also remember that 'between' is not limited to exactly two items; English uses it for larger groups too when the members are treated as separate sides or participants.
Common collocations
Phrases
- between A and B
- between one thing and another
- between X, Y, and Z
Etymology
'Between' comes from Old English 'betweonum', which was built from parts meaning roughly 'by' and 'two each'. The early idea was a space, interval, or relation separating two sides, and that core picture still explains many modern patterns such as 'between A and B'. In Middle English the form became 'bitwene' and later settled as 'between'. English has long used it both as a preposition and as an adverb, so you can say 'between the houses' and also 'a small table stood between'. Despite a common learner rule, the word has been used for more than two people or things for centuries when the members are treated individually or as separate sides.