ESEN
Which one to use?Intermediateadverbio / adjetivofrase nominal
ApartvsA part
"Apart" = separated, at a distance; "a part" = a piece or member of something larger.
Side-by-side comparison
Apart
adverbio / adjetivo"Apart" (one word) means separated, at a distance, or separately. "Keep them apart" means keep them separated. Also used in "apart from" = in addition to.
They lived apart for two years before deciding to divorce.
Apart from a few minor errors, the report was excellent.
The two brothers are very different, they seem to come from worlds apart.
A part
frase nominal"A part" (two words) means a portion or component of something: it belongs to a whole. "A part of the team" means one member of the team.
She feels like a part of the family now, even though she only started working here last year.
Failure is a part of learning, you cannot grow without making mistakes.
This project is a part of a larger initiative to reduce carbon emissions in the city.
Common mistake
- •The most common trap: "I want to be apart of this project".
- •"Apart" means separated, the opposite of what you mean.
- •To belong to something, always use "a part of": "I want to be a part of this project".
Trick to remember it
- •Can you replace it with "separated" or "at a distance"? Use "apart" (one word).
- •Can you replace it with "a piece of" or "a member of"? Use "a part" (two words, always followed by "of").
Quick rule
- •"Apart" (one word) = separated, at a distance.
- •"A part" (two words) = a piece or member of something, always with "of".
Did you know?
"Apart of" does not exist in standard English, if you ever write "apart of", it is always an error. Interestingly, "a part of" can be shortened to "part of" by dropping the article: "She is part of the team" = "She is a part of the team". Both are correct. But "apart of" never is.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She felt like _____ of the team from day one. Everyone welcomed her.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
They lived in different cities for two years and slowly grew _____ .
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
EverydayvsEvery day
"Everyday" (one word) is an adjective meaning ordinary or daily; "every day" (two words) means each day.
MaybevsMay be
"Maybe" (one word) = perhaps, possibly; "may be" (two words) = might be, could be.
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy