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freakygeek
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Usage of 'between' & 'among' 02 Dec 2013, 10:53
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As per my understanding 'between' should be used when talking about 2 things/items/groups etc . and 'among' should be used when talking about more than 2 things/groups/items

Quoting gmatclub grammer book here:

The word between is always used when talking about a distinct relationship of two individual items, groups, or people.
Examples:
Sally had to choose between the red and white dresses.
Let’s keep this secret between you and me.
However, between can also be used when talking about a distinct relationship of more than two individual items, groups, or people
Examples:
Johnny had to decide between going to Europe, buying a new car, or staying in college.
Business negotiations between the governments of the United States, China and South America are going well despite cultural differences.

Can someone please explain why the examples above ( in bold ) are correct ? shouldnt among be used here ?

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Usage of 'between' & 'among' 02 Dec 2013, 12:48
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freakygeek
As per my understanding 'between' should be used when talking about 2 things/items/groups etc . and 'among' should be used when talking about more than 2 things/groups/items

Quoting gmatclub grammer book here:

The word between is always used when talking about a distinct relationship of two individual items, groups, or people.
Examples:
Sally had to choose between the red and white dresses.
Let’s keep this secret between you and me.
However, between can also be used when talking about a distinct relationship of more than two individual items, groups, or people
Examples:
Johnny had to decide between going to Europe, buying a new car, or staying in college.
Business negotiations between the governments of the United States, China and South America are going well despite cultural differences.

Can someone please explain why the examples above ( in bold ) are correct ? shouldnt among be used here ?
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Dear freakygeek,
I'm happy to help. :-)

I believe what is happening here is that a grammar rule is running up against an idiom rule.

You're right ---- typically, we would use "among", rather than "between", for 3+ items. BUT, some words idiomatically demand the word "between", and the idiom trumps the general grammar rule. Two such idioms are
decide between
negotiations between

Here's a free Idiom ebook that may help:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/gmat-idiom-ebook/

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
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Usage of 'between' & 'among' 02 Dec 2013, 13:00
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freakygeek
As per my understanding 'between' should be used when talking about 2 things/items/groups etc . and 'among' should be used when talking about more than 2 things/groups/items

Quoting gmatclub grammer book here:

The word between is always used when talking about a distinct relationship of two individual items, groups, or people.
Examples:
Sally had to choose between the red and white dresses.
Let’s keep this secret between you and me.
However, between can also be used when talking about a distinct relationship of more than two individual items, groups, or people
Examples:
Johnny had to decide between going to Europe, buying a new car, or staying in college.
Business negotiations between the governments of the United States, China and South America are going well despite cultural differences.

Can someone please explain why the examples above ( in bold ) are correct ? shouldnt among be used here ?
Dear freakygeek,
I'm happy to help. :-)

I believe what is happening here is that a grammar rule is running up against an idiom rule.

You're right ---- typically, we would use "among", rather than "between", for 3+ items. BUT, some words idiomatically demand the word "between", and the idiom trumps the general grammar rule. Two such idioms are
decide between
negotiations between

Here's a free Idiom ebook that may help:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/gmat-idiom-ebook/

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
Show more

Hi Mike,

I didn't see the two idioms in the idiom e-book you've linked.

Regarding the sentence:
Johnny had to decide between going to Europe, buying a new car, or staying in college.

Assuming "decide between" is correct, why is it "decide between A, B, or C" as opposed to "decide between A, B, and C"?
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Usage of 'between' & 'among' 02 Dec 2013, 15:54
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farful
Hi Mike,

I didn't see the two idioms in the idiom e-book you've linked.

Regarding the sentence:
Johnny had to decide between going to Europe, buying a new car, or staying in college.

Assuming "decide between" is correct, why is it "decide between A, B, or C" as opposed to "decide between A, B, and C"?
Show more
Dear farful,
The idiom ebook includes many examples, but I think it would be impossible to create an exhaustive list of every possible idiom. There's no replacement for a habit of sophisticated reading.

The word "between" always takes the word "and", regardless of how many elements follow; therefore, as far as I understand, "between" with "or" is always incorrect and unidiomatic.

The GMAT Club Grammar Book was a community project, so I have no idea who was responsible for the sentence ...
Johnny had to decide between going to Europe, buying a new car, or staying in college.
... but it is my understand that this is incorrect.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
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Usage of 'between' & 'among' 02 Dec 2013, 21:29
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Personally I have never come across any official question in which 'between' has been used for more than two things. While this could be some weird grammar rule, I don't think it should be relevant for the GMAT. And 'between....or' is just not happening.
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Usage of 'between' & 'among' 03 Dec 2013, 02:17
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From what I read from a book I am currently referring to:

We should use "between" when we are talking about distinct, and discrete items.

On the other hand, we use "among" when we are talking about things that aren't distinct items or individuals; "among" is used when the connections are more collective.

freakygeek

Sally had to choose between the red and white dresses.
Let’s keep this secret between you and me.
However, between can also be used when talking about a distinct relationship of more than two individual items, groups, or people
Examples:
Johnny had to decide between going to Europe, buying a new car, or staying in college.
Business negotiations between the governments of the United States, China and South America are going well despite cultural differences.

Can someone please explain why the examples above ( in bold ) are correct ? shouldnt among be used here ?
Show more

As mentioned above, "among" cannot be used because we are talking about "distinct" things (example: governments of the United States, China and South America). However, "among" would be used in this scenario:

Among the Asian countries, China has the strongest economy.

Here, "Asian countries" is used as a "collective" and so, "among" is used.
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Usage of 'between' & 'among' 17 Aug 2019, 09:13
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