alone or together

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "alone or together" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is often used to describe the choice between doing something alone or doing it with others. Example: "I enjoy traveling alone, but sometimes it's nice to have company. I can't decide if I want to go on this trip alone or together with my friends."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The two were great alone or together.

Independent

We investigated individuals' preference to feed either alone or together with a tolerant partner.

Animal Behaviour

And at different moment, the two musicians perform alone or together.

The New York Times - Arts

Alone or together, they can be reason to see any movie.

The New York Times

Ratcliffe, P. J. HIF-1 and HIF-2: working alone or together in hypoxia?

Nature

Lovely men the artist included and the occasional woman pose alone or together, naked or clothed.

The New Yorker

Population levels of N. affinis inside the cages were not significantly different when alone or together with L. pistae.

Biological Control

Among 1,500 participants with knee osteoarthritis, glucosamine and chondroitin taken alone or together provided no more relief than placebo.

Harvard University

Still, this show is strong enough to justify a more thorough, carefully selected survey of both artists, alone or together.

The New York Times - Arts

The three of them tend to sit in front of a screen – whether alone or together with others.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Conjugation studies showed that only the mph(A) or erm(B) genes were transferred alone or together.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "alone or together" to clearly present options for individual versus group actions or states.

Common error

Avoid using "alone or together" when the context inherently implies one state or the other. For example, it would be redundant to say 'The astronaut walked on the moon alone or together,' because walking on the moon is almost always a solitary activity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "alone or together" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause by presenting two alternative conditions. As supported by Ludwig, this phrase indicates whether an action is performed individually or collectively.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

61%

News & Media

27%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "alone or together" functions as an adverbial phrase, presenting a choice between individual and collective action. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across diverse contexts. It appears most frequently in scientific literature and news articles, indicating a neutral register. Related phrases offer nuanced alternatives, such as "individually or collectively" and "separately or jointly". When writing, use "alone or together" to clearly present options, but avoid redundancy. Ludwig's analysis of numerous examples confirms its wide applicability and contextual flexibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

individually or collectively

Focuses on the manner of action, whether done by one person or a group.

separately or jointly

Highlights the distinction between independent and cooperative efforts.

on your own or with others

Emphasizes the social aspect of choosing to be solitary versus social.

solo or in collaboration

Implies a more formal or structured partnership.

by oneself or as a team

Suggests a deliberate choice between self-reliance and teamwork.

independently or in unison

Contrasts autonomous action with harmonious group activity.

single-handedly or in partnership

Highlights the difference between doing something by yourself or with a partner.

autonomously or in concert

Focuses on actions that are self-governed versus coordinated with others.

in isolation or in a group

Highlights the contrast between being separate and being part of a group.

personally or with company

Highlights a personal preference of being alone or with company.

FAQs

How can I use "alone or together" in a sentence?

Use "alone or together" to present a choice between individual and collective action or existence, such as "You can complete the project "alone or together" with your team members."

What phrases are similar to "alone or together"?

Alternatives include phrases like "individually or collectively", "separately or jointly", or "on your own or with others", depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "alone or together"?

Yes, "alone or together" is grammatically correct and commonly used to present options for individual versus group actions or situations.

What's the difference between "alone" and "together"?

"Alone" implies a solitary state or action, while "together" indicates a group or collective state or action. The phrase ""alone or together"" is used to present both as options.