Why use amongst

This means they can both be used interchangeably; it really is a matter of style for when you choose to use one over the other. Even though it is a matter of style, it is still important to keep your audience in mind when picking which word to use. For example, if you are writing a sophisticated novel, using amongst might be appropriate because it adds a sense of unique dialogue or conversation.

But, if you are writing for everyday consumption in a newspaper or a similar outlet, among is definitely the right choice for you. Some grammar books state that it is more common to use amongst before a word starting with a vowel.

Out of the two words, among is much more commonly used in modern English, being used at a ratio of by some estimates.

In British English, while amongst is acceptable in most uses, among is generally preferred. Some British publications, including major newspapers, issue style guides that insist on using among. The word dates back to a time in English when -s was added to some words to create adverbs. Other holdovers from this minor grammar rule from the past are whilst and amidst , both of which also are far more acceptable in British English than in American speech or writing.

She approached and saw the likeness of Mr. Wickham, suspended, amongst several other miniatures, above the mantelpiece. It could also be replaced with the word among without any loss of meaning or style.

In both speech and writing, among and amongst are interchangeable. Both are grammatically correct and mean the same thing. However, amongst is often considered old-fashioned or pretentious in American English, so you may want to avoid it.

Amongst and among mean the same thing, but among is more common, particularly in American English. Grammarly can save you from misspellings, grammatical and punctuation mistakes, and other writing issues on all your favorite websites.

And if so, what is the difference between among and amongst? Among is the older version of the word, tracing its roots back to Old English. Amongst appeared in Middle English. During this period, the English language added sounds to some words to form adverbs. In modern English, we still have some words like that, such as once , always , and unawares. Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress?