All Together vs. Altogether: Clear Up the Confusion!

Learning the nuances of the English language can be challenging, especially when words look or sound similar. This reference aims to teach vocabulary to English learners by explaining the differences between “all together” and “altogether.” Understanding these differences will help you avoid common mistakes and use each term correctly in various contexts.

The Difference Between All Together and Altogether

Quick Tips:

• Use “all together” to describe a group of people or things doing something collectively or being in the same place.
• Use “altogether” to mean “completely,” “entirely,” “overall,” or “in total.”

All Together vs. Altogether: Definition, Usage

What Does All Together Mean?

• Meaning: Refers to everyone or everything being in the same place or at the same time; indicates a group or collection acting in unity.
• Use: Used to describe people or things gathered or acting as a group.
• Examples:
  • “Let’s go to the park all together this afternoon.”
  • “We finished the project all together in one day.”
• Explanation: “All together” means everyone or everything is considered as a group or acting in unison.

What Does Altogether Mean?

• Meaning: An adverb meaning “completely,” “entirely,” “on the whole,” or “in total.”
• Use: Used to indicate the totality of something or to provide an overall assessment.
• Examples:
  • “I am altogether certain that we made the right decision.”
  • “There were altogether 15 people at the meeting.”
  • “It was altogether a great success.”
• Explanation: “Altogether” is used to describe a complete state, sum, or to give an overall perspective.

Tips to Remember the Differences

• “Altogether” is always an adverb, while “all together” is a phrase that can be used as an adverb, adjective, or noun.
• To help differentiate between the two, try to break down the phrase and see if it makes sense. For example, “all together” can be broken down into “all” and “together,” which makes sense when referring to a group of people or things. On the other hand, “altogether” can be broken down into “al” and “together,” but it doesn’t make sense in the same context.
• Be careful not to confuse “altogether” with “all in all,” which is a similar phrase that means “considering everything.” For example, “All in all, it was a great day.”

Here is a table summarizing the differences between the two phrases:

Common Mistakes with “All Together” and “Altogether”

Using “all together” instead of “altogether” for totality or completeness:

• Incorrect: “He was all together tired after the marathon.”
• Correct: “He was altogether tired after the marathon.”
• Explanation: “Altogether” is the right choice to convey the meaning of “completely.”

Using “altogether” instead of “all together” when referring to a group:

• Incorrect: “We went to the concert altogether.”
• Correct: “We went to the concert all together.”
• Explanation: “All together” is appropriate because it indicates that everyone went as a group.

All Together vs. Altogether: Examples

Example Sentences Using All Together

When using “all together“, you are referring to a group of people or things that are together in the same place or at the same time. Here are some example sentences:

• “Let’s sing the chorus all together.”
• “The band played all together during the concert.”
• “The students worked all together on the group project.”

Example Sentences Using Altogether

When using “altogether“, you are referring to the entirety of something or the complete sum of its parts. Here are some example sentences:

• “Altogether, there were 50 people at the party.”
• “The cost of the car repairs was $300 altogether.”
• “She decided to quit her job altogether and start her own business.”

All Together vs. Altogether: Practice and Exercise

Let’s do the short quiz below to test whether you are able to differentiate between all together and altogether or not.

Instruction: Choose all together or altogether to fill in the blanks

1. The students stood ___ to take a group photo.
2. She was ___ unprepared for the exam.
3. The family decided to go on a vacation ___.
4. The orchestra played the symphony ___.
5. We were ___ pleased with the outcome of the project.
6. The team worked ___ to complete the task.
7. The children danced ___ in the school play.
8. The new policy was ___ different from the old one.
9. They sang the national anthem ___ before the game.
10. The idea of quitting seemed ___ irrational.

Answers:

1. all together
2. altogether
3. all together
4. all together
5. altogether
6. all together
7. all together
8. altogether
9. all together
10. altogether