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Prepositions after verbs

Distinguish between or distinguish from?

Distinguish between is used when comparing two or more things. Distinguish from is used when identifying how one thing differs from another.

Quick answer

How do distinguish between and distinguish from differ?

Use distinguish between when separating or comparing multiple things. Use distinguish A from B when identifying the difference between them.

Children learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.
It is hard to distinguish twins from a distance.
The logo helps distinguish the brand from its competitors.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
distinguish between + items

Comparing two or more things

Use between when identifying differences among separate items or ideas.

She can distinguish between similar accents.
The course teaches students to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources.
2
distinguish A from B

Telling one thing apart from another

Use from to show how one thing differs from another.

It is difficult to distinguish fake products from genuine ones.
The colour helps distinguish one team from the other.
3
distinguish oneself by + quality

Showing excellence or uniqueness

Distinguish can also mean becoming notable because of a quality or achievement.

She distinguished herself by her careful research.
The company distinguished itself by excellent customer service.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
distinguish between
Can you distinguish between the two models?
used for comparing or separating items
distinguish from
The coating distinguishes the fabric from cheaper versions.
used for identifying difference between things
distinguish by
Birds can be distinguished by their markings.
used for the feature that identifies something
tell apart
I cannot tell the twins apart.
a more informal alternative

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using between with only one item

Between normally introduces two or more things being compared.

✕ The logo distinguishes between the brand. ✓ The logo distinguishes the brand from others.

Leaving out one side of the comparison

Distinguish from needs both items.

✕ It is hard to distinguish from the original. ✓ It is hard to distinguish the copy from the original.

Using from after between

Do not combine the two patterns incorrectly.

✕ She distinguished between tea from coffee. ✓ She distinguished between tea and coffee.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Can you distinguish ___ the original and the copy?
2. The new design distinguishes the product ___ its rivals.
3. The species can be distinguished ___ its wing pattern.

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Frequently asked questions

Can distinguish between refer to more than two things?

Yes. It can be used for several categories or ideas, not only two.

Is distinguish from always followed by two nouns?

Usually yes. The structure often compares one thing with another.

What is a common informal alternative to distinguish from?

Tell apart is common in everyday English.

dabble, in, dabble, with "damage to" or "damage by"? dance to, with, on, in or for? "dangle from" or "dangle in"? dare to, for, on, as or at? dash to, into, out, from or on? daydream about, for, in, of or on? "debate in", "debate on" or "debate with"? deceive by, in, into, on or about? "decide on", "decide to" or "decide by"? declare in, by, on, to or as? decline in, by, from, to or for?

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