In English grammar, certain pairs of words often lead to confusion due to their similar sounds and spellings. Among these commonly confused words are “altogether” and “all together.” Despite their identical pronunciations, these terms have distinct meanings and uses. This article will clarify their difference by providing clear definitions and examples to help you use these words correctly in your academic writing.
Definition of “altogether” vs. “all together”
Due to similar phonetics and spelling, “altogether” and “all together” are often confused, but have different meanings and functions in sentences. “Altogether” grammatically functions as an adverb with the meaning of “completely” or “on the whole.” It can modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb to indicate totality.
“All together,” on the other hand, is a phrase that means “everyone together” or “in a group.” It is used in a sentence to indicate that all members of a group are in the same place or acting simultaneously.
Altogether
… acts as a single-word adverb that describes verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. In a sentence, it means “completely” or “on the whole.”
All together
…acts as a two-word phrase and means “everyone together” or “in a group.” It indicates that an entire group acts simultaneously or is in the same place.
Understanding the context of a sentence is the key to distinguishing between “all together” and “all together.” Altogether, one can say that if you rearrange “all together” in a sentence to add a noun or verb between the two words, then “all together” is the correct choice. For example, “We were all (playing) together at the park.”
Using the word “altogether”
The term “altogether” is used as an adverb in a sentence as outlined in the following.
“Altogether” as an adverb
“Altogether” as an adverb refers to something being complete, total, or entirely. It is used to indicate that something is done in full or to a complete extent. Below, you’ll find several example sentences.
Examples
- The performance was altogether impressive, exceeding all expectations.
- He was altogether unprepared for the surprise test.
- The project was deemed altogether successful by the review committee.
Tip for using “altogether” correctly
A helpful tip is to use synonyms for “altogether,” thus avoiding repetition and redundancy and expanding your language overall.
| Synonyms | Examples |
| Completely | The plan was altogether impractical. |
| The plan was completely impractical. | |
| Entirely | She was altogether surprised by the unexpected party. |
| She was entirely surprised by the unexpected party. | |
| Totally | Altogether, the project was a success despite some initial setbacks. |
| Totally, the project was a success despite some initial setbacks. |
Using the words “all together”
The terms “all together” are used as a two-word phrase. Its meaning and various examples can be found below.
“All together” as a two-word phrase
“All together” refers to everyone or everything in the same place or at the same time. Here are some examples of how to use this phrase in a sentence.
Examples
- The family was all together for the holiday celebration.
- Let’s gather all together and take a group photo.
- They shouted all together to cheer for their team.
Tips for using “all together”
The incorporation of synonyms for “all together” can enrich writing and mitigate redundant content. Here are several alternatives with example sentences.
| Synonyms | Examples |
| As a group | The students worked all together on the project. |
| The students worked as a group on the project. | |
| Collectively | They shouted all together to cheer for their team. |
| They shouted collectively to cheer for their team. | |
| Simultaneously | Let's gather all together and take a group photo. |
| Let's gather simultaneously and take a group photo. |
Note: A useful tip for distinguishing between similarly spelled words is to rearrange the sentence. Take the example, “The family was all together for the holiday celebration.” Rephrasing it as “All the family were together for the holiday celebration” still makes sense, confirming that “all together” is the correct choice.
Test yourself!
Practice sheet
To improve your ability to understand the distinction between “altogether” and “all together”, fill in the blanks in the given sentences. You can find the correct answers on the second tab.
- The plan was ______ impractical and needed to be revised.
- The family was ______ for the holiday celebration.
- The choir sang ______, creating a beautiful harmony.
- The pieces of the puzzle fit ______ to reveal the picture.
- The weather was ______ too cold for a picnic.
- He found himself ______ unprepared for the surprise quiz.
- The plan to renovate the house was ______ too expensive.
- The volunteers worked ______ to clean up the park.
- The book was ______ fascinating and kept me hooked.
- She was ______ unsure about the new policy changes at work.
- The plan was altogether impractical and needed to be revised.
- The family was all together for the holiday celebration.
- The choir sang all together, creating a beautiful harmony.
- The pieces of the puzzle fit all together to reveal the picture.
- The weather was altogether too cold for a picnic.
- He found himself altogether unprepared for the surprise quiz.
- The plan to renovate the house was altogether too expensive.
- The volunteers worked all together to clean up the park.
- The book was altogether fascinating and kept me hooked.
- She was altogether unsure about the new policy changes at work.
FAQs
Both “all together” and “altogether” are correct, but they have different meanings and uses. “All together” indicates people or things being in the same place or acting simultaneously. “Altogether” is used as an adverb meaning completely or entirely.
In mathematics, you use “all together” when referring to the grouping of numbers, objects, or people. “Altogether” is used when referring to the total or complete result of a calculation.
- When we add these numbers all together, we get the sum.
- The total cost is $50 altogether.
Synonyms for “altogether” are completely, entirely, and totally.
Synonyms for “all together” are collectively, simultaneously, and as a group.
