Recently, a reader reached out and suggested I write a piece on apart vs. a part. I love getting requests and suggestions for my Grammar Tips blog and am happy to oblige.
Apart
Used as a single word, apart has a few meanings. For one, it means to have a little distance in space or time. Additionally, it refers to items as separate units. And, finally, apart can mean to exclude from consideration.
Examples of Apart:
A Part
The two-word phrase means something is a portion of a bigger thing. In this case, the memory trick is to think of opposites. Since a part means something goes together, the trick is that you use the version of a part that does not go to together. You use the two-word phrase. Another way to remember this version is that you can remove the “a” from the phrase and just use the word “part”.
Additionally, a part can mean an actor’s role in a film or play.
Examples of A Part: