A Part vs Apart
The difference between the phrase A part and the word Apart seems insignificant. There’s just one little additional space! But their meanings and their uses are quite different. A part means a piece of something or a fragment of something. Apart means separated into smaller pieces or in time and place.
Here are some definitions and examples to help make the use of these words clearer.
A part (phrase)
A piece of, a fragment of.
Examples:
Sam wrote a part of the group project essay.
I have known my best friend since kindergarten. I feel like a part of her family.
The phrase a part refers to a piece of something or a fragment of something. Sam was not responsible for writing the entire essay, only a piece of it. I am not my friend’s whole family, but I feel like I am a part of it. You’ll notice that the word “of” in both sentences follows the phrase a part. This is very common.
Apart (adverb)
A separation into smaller pieces or in time or place.
Examples:
My father is a tinkerer and takes everything apart, but can’t put it back together.
After an argument, my girlfriend and I need some time apart.
In these examples, the word apart refers to the separation of some kind. In the first sentence, my father separates gadgets into smaller pieces. In the second sentence, my girlfriend and I need to separate ourselves with some distance after an argument. Notice that in these sentences, the word “of” is NOT used after the word apart. That is one way to remember whether you need to use the phrase a part or the adverb apart. Another way to remember is that, ironically, the one that is one word, apart, means separated, while the one that is a phrase and actually IS separated, a part, means something else.
Main Points
- A part is a phrase that means a piece of something.
- The word “of” is often used after the phrase a part.
- Apart is an adverb that means separating, either into smaller pieces or in time or place.