What is the difference: "between" vs. "among".

It is often taught that 'between' is used for 2 items and 'among' for 3 or more. Example:- # He is sitting between his friends. # She is standing amkng the trees.

We use between to refer to two things which are clearly separated. We use among to talk about things which are not clearly separated because they are part of a group or crowd or mass of objects: Our holiday house is between the mountains and the sea. (the mountains are on one side and the sea is on the other) The ancient fountain was hidden among the trees. (surrounded by trees)

You can use the word "between" when you are talking about distinct, individual items even if there are more than two of them. For example, you could say, "She chose between Harvard, Brown, and Yale" because the colleges are individual items. On the other hand, you use "among" when you are talking about things that aren't distinct items or individuals; for example, if you were talking about colleges collectively you could say, "She chose among the Ivy League schools." If you are talking about a group of people, you also use "among": Fear spread among the hostages. "Among" can also indicate that someone is part of a group or left out of a group, as in these examples: He was glad to find a friend among enemies.