together or separately

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of a sentence "together or separately" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to two distinct ideas or two different items. For example: "Do you prefer to eat lunch together or separately?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

To study their interactions and recruitment, in some studies, cells were injected together or separately at different ratios or by a separate route.

Endocrine-Related Cancer

They are searchable together or separately.

Princeton University

Together or separately, they are both criminally funny.

The New York Times

Boswell and Johnson figure in numerous biographies, together or separately.

The New York Times - Books

We arrive together or separately, with our dogs.

The New York Times

And don't forget celery and celeriac, together or separately.

The New York Times

"These shows will be available to travel together or separately," Mr. Shapiro said.

The New York Times - Arts

Controls audio volume for speaker, handset, headset, ringer, either together or separately.

Columbia University

Yet neither concept, together or separately, suffices to identify the proper loss bearer.

Harvard University

Principal component analyses (PCA) were applied, both to the species together or separately.

Aquatic Toxicology

I did not even want to read the words "cervical mucus," not together or separately.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "together or separately" to clearly present options for group versus individual action or consideration. This clarifies whether a process or activity can occur in a unified or independent manner.

Common error

Avoid using "together or separately" in contexts where simpler alternatives like "individually" or "as a group" suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "together or separately" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs by indicating the manner in which an action can be performed. It adds flexibility by presenting two options: doing something as a unified group or as distinct individuals, as supported by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "together or separately" serves as a versatile adverbial phrase indicating whether actions can be performed in a unified or individual manner. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage across diverse fields like news, science, and academia. While highly versatile, it's essential to avoid overuse in simple contexts where alternatives like "individually" or "as a group" would suffice. Its neutral register makes it suitable for both formal and informal communication, offering clarity and optionality in expressing how actions can be approached.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

collectively or individually

Replaces "together" with "collectively" and "separately" with "individually", emphasizing the group versus single action.

in combination or independently

Emphasizes the combined versus autonomous nature of the actions.

jointly or on their own

Replaces "separately" with a more descriptive phrase, clarifying individual action.

as one or by themselves

Provides a straightforward alternative emphasizing unity versus self-reliance.

as a group or alone

Uses simpler terms to convey the same concept, suitable for more informal contexts.

in partnership or singly

Highlights the collaborative versus individual aspect of an activity.

in unison or in isolation

Highlights the contrast between unified and isolated actions.

in conjunction or discretely

Presents a more formal alternative, suitable for technical or legal contexts.

as a team or solo

Uses informal language to describe group versus individual efforts.

united or divided

Focuses on the state of being unified versus separated.

FAQs

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

You can use "together or separately" to indicate whether actions or items can be considered as a unit or individually. For example, "The components can be installed "together or separately", depending on the system requirements."

What are some alternatives to "together or separately"?

Alternatives include phrases like "collectively or individually", "jointly or on their own", or "in combination or independently", which can provide similar meanings with slight nuances.

Is it always necessary to include both "together" and "separately"?

No, depending on the context, you might only need to emphasize one aspect. For example, if you want to stress the option for individual action, you could simply say "individually" or "on their own".

What's the difference between "together or separately" and "simultaneously or separately"?

"Together or separately" indicates whether actions are done as a unit or independently, while "simultaneously or separately" focuses on whether actions occur at the same time or at different times. The former concerns unity, the latter concerns timing.