Apart vs. a part: Easy to know differences

Apart and a part is often confused. They definitely look similar with the only difference being one has space. Despite their similarity, these two words are not the same.

Some of the main differences in apart vs. a part are their meaning and spelling. In this article, we will distinguish the definitions of these two words and where each of them best fits to be used. Knowing this might come in handy when writing your essays and research papers. 

Definition of words apart and a part

Imagine writing an essay or research paper and coming into a dilemma as to whether to use a part or apart within a body of text. We will look into the distinct meanings of these words. This will give us an understanding of the words as well as where we can use them best.

Here is a question you might want to ponder. Is ‘a part’ one word or two words? Conversely, is it apart from one word or two? Let’s find out;

Apart (one word): used as an adverb, it denotes a separation of two or more things either physically, figuratively, or in time. For example, my girlfriend and I live two miles apart.

It can also be used to mean to render in parts or pieces. For example, if a car experienced an engine knock we are going to have to take the whole engine apart.

Apart from denoting an exemption. For example, apart from having to clean up the following morning, the party was really fun.

Thus, being apart means being separated from the rest. Some of its synonyms include; distant, divided, away from each other, etc.

A part (two words): used as a preposition, it means a fraction of a whole being, group, component, or area. Some of its synonyms include; piece, section, portion, etc. 

Apart vs. a part when to use each

An easy way to identify which word to correctly use is to have in mind that; a part is often paired with of, i.e. a part of, and apart is often paired with from, i.e. apart from.

When apart is paired with from, we get a preposition. Apart from, means with the exception of. When preceded by certain verbs apart can be used to form phrasal verbs. For example; come apart, drift apart, pull apart, etc.

The article ‘a’ does not always appear in a part. It can be dropped when a part is not preceded by an adjective. For example; once you become part of this company, you must be punctual in all meetings.

Examples of using apart in sentences

Let us look at a few examples of apart being used in a sentence. This should be able to guide us more in the context of the use of the word.

• Since childhood Ben and Christian would not be kept apart, they have been friends for as long as I can remember.
• In great fury, Rose tore apart her letter of dismissal from her duty as a head magistrate.
• It is not advisable to keep a newborn calf and the birthing cow apart for too long.
• When magnets are pulled apart, they always attract each other again.
• The family lives five hundred kilometers apart.
• My parents had my sister and me two years 
• My taste in movies and George’s are worlds 

Examples of using a part in sentences

Now let’s check out a few examples of how to use a part in sentences. You will note that in some instances we drop the article ‘a’.

• He knew a part of him would always miss going back home.
• The plumber only had to demolish a part of the wall to find the leakage.
• Being a part of a school club helps you in making new friends.
• A part of the wall was swept down by a flash flood due to the heavy storm yesterday night.
• Once we are registered as a part of this group, we must pay all the charges.
• Our neighbor Peter has always felt like a part of our family.
• Did you audition for a part in the school play?

It is imperative to practice a lot to clearly distinguish the use of the words without much thought. Going through lots of grammar text and example sentences is a great trick to help you get ahead.

In Summary

A great tip to remember Apart vs. a part is that apart implies a separation between things, and a part denotes that a thing is a share of another i.e. portion of a whole. Not only do these two words have different meanings but also act as adverbs, prepositions, etc. in a sentence.

ARE YOU STILL CONFUSED ABOUT HOW TO USE APART AND A PART?

It is most likely that it will take you a while and a lot of practice before you master the usage of these words and phrases correctly. Certainly, if you are a student, you might not have this option. If you find yourself in this situation, ensure that before you hand in your work to the tutor, you make use of our paper editing service to affirm that you have submitting a perfect work. This service is meant to correct your grammatical errors such as the misuse of apart and a part among other faults.

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