Between...and...

How to use "between...and..." correctly

This is an entry on my list of Common Errors in English Usage. Visit the main page for direct links to additional entries.

When the preposition between is followed by two separate nouns or pronouns, it should be used with the conjunction and, not with the conjunction or or with any other connecting expression:

a choice between chocolate or vanilla
a choice between chocolate as well as vanilla

a choice between chocolate and vanilla

Related Resources

Common Errors in English Usage: Errors in diction and idiom commonly made by native speakers of English

List of Common Errors in English Usage (PDF): Printable version of the complete list

Common Grammar Errors: A list of common errors in grammar (topics like subject-verb agreement and parallelism) as distinct from usage

List of Common Errors in English Usage: PDF version