In Between vs. In-between: What’s the Difference?

The expressions in between and in-between have the same root meaning — something that lies in the middle of two things — but they’re used differently in sentences.

Here’s the simple rule:

• In between → used as an adverb or preposition (common form).
• In-between → used as a noun or adjective (less common, hyphen required).

Let’s see how that works.

1. In Between (Two Words)

Meaning

“In between” describes something that is positioned, located, or happening between two points, times, or things.
It’s the standard form and is used most often.

Part of Speech:

• Preposition: when followed by a noun.
• Adverb: when it stands alone.

Examples (10 total)

1. She sat in between her two friends.
2. There’s a small park in between the buildings.
3. The store is in between the bank and the library.
4. We stopped in between classes for coffee.
5. There’s a break in between meetings.
6. He looked in between the pages for the bookmark.
7. The candy fell in between the couch cushions.
8. The event falls in between Monday and Thursday.
9. My birthday is in between theirs.
10. We met in between work hours.

🧠 Tip:
If you can replace it with “between”, use in between (two words).

2. In-between (Hyphenated Form)

Meaning

“In-between” (with a hyphen) is used as a noun or adjective meaning something or someone that is in the middle position — not one thing or the other.

Part of Speech:

• Noun: refers to the middle stage or a person between two groups.
• Adjective: describes a middle position.

Examples (10 total)

1. She feels like an in-between, not a child but not an adult.
2. The color is an in-between shade of blue and green.
3. It’s an in-between stage in his career.
4. The movie is neither comedy nor drama — it’s an in-between genre.
5. The weather is in that in-between season, not quite winter.
6. Teenagers are often in-betweens between childhood and adulthood.
7. The hotel offers an in-between level of comfort.
8. It’s an in-between day — not too hot, not too cold.
9. She’s in that in-between age of growing up.
10. There’s always an in-between period after big changes.

🧠 Tip:
If it’s describing or naming something as the middle part, hyphenate it: in-between.

3. Quick Comparison Table

4. How to Remember

👉 In between → where something is (location or time).
👉 In-between → what something is (a descriptive word or noun).

💡 Memory Trick:

If it answers “where?”, use in between.
If it describes or names something, use in-between.

5. Common Mistakes

❌ She sat in-between her friends.
✅ She sat in between her friends.

❌ It’s an in between color.
✅ It’s an in-between color.

6. Why It’s Confusing

The hyphen makes in-between look modern and casual, so many writers use it everywhere.
However, grammatically, only the noun/adjective version should use the hyphen.
Spell-check tools or grammar checkers like Humanizey can help catch these small but meaningful differences automatically.

FAQs

1. Is “in between” always two words?

Yes — unless you’re using it as a noun or adjective.

2. Can I start a sentence with “in between”?

Yes. Example: In between classes, I like to read.

3. Is “in-between” more formal?

No — it’s less common and mostly descriptive.

4. Do dictionaries list both?

Yes. Most modern dictionaries include in-between as a hyphenated variant used as a noun or adjective.

Practice: Choose the Correct Form (“In Between” or “In-between”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. The park is ___ the school and the mall.
2. She’s in that awkward ___ stage of growing up.
3. My desk is ___ two windows.
4. Teenagers often feel like ___ — not kids, not adults.
5. I found the paper ___ the pages of the book.
6. It’s an ___ shade of gray and silver.
7. He looked ___ the chairs for his phone.
8. The company is in an ___ phase — not small, not large yet.
9. The meeting is scheduled ___ lunch and the next class.
10. She’s an ___ — not a beginner, but not an expert either.

Answers

1. in between
2. in-between
3. in between
4. in-betweens
5. in between
6. in-between
7. in between
8. in-between
9. in between
10. in-between